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Can't Go Home ftr. Ryan Miller and Vera Bridges

from Bootlegs and Bedrooms by Mandalyn May

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lyrics

I was born on my mama's mountain,
they used to call it hallowed ground
and on that day a tree was planted
papa said my roots were sound

but by the time I took to running
men they came with their machines
piece of paper, said they owned her
they'd do with her as they pleased.

Told my papa we could stay here
if he'd work digging their mines
he and mama chose together
we would not leave this land behind

Where you gonna go, where you gonna go
when you can't go home, when you can't go home?
Where you gonna go, where you gonna go
when you can't go home, when you can't go home?

Brother Johnny, he died quickly,
when the mountain crushed his bones,
Pa and Peter, Uncle Thomas,
coughed up lungs full up with coal

Twenty years, I watched them dying
twenty years I could not go.
Till the tree that was born with me
fell to the ground, bound for mexico

Where you gonna go, where you gonna go
when you can't go home, when you can't go home?
Where you gonna go, where you gonna go
when you can't go home, when you can't go home?

I do not blame my mama's mountain
I blame the money, pride and greed
of those who claim what can not be owned and
make both men and mountain bleed

I have traveled round this country,
I have traveled far and wide
everywhere the same old story
a few take the money, and damn the countryside

Where we gonna go, where we gonna go
when we can't go home, when we can't go home?
Where we gonna go, where we gonna go
when we can't go home, when we can't go home?

Well I was born on my mama's mountain
they used to call it hallowed ground
there's a deep hole in the earth now
but no mountain, no mountain can be found

Where we gonna go, where we gonna go
when we can't go home, when we can't go home?
Where we gonna go, where we gonna go
when we can't go home, when we can't go home?

credits

from Bootlegs and Bedrooms, released January 1, 2015

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Mandalyn May Chico, California

From sweet & soulful to hopping & hollering, Mandalyn May (of Sons of Jefferson, Hop Holler & Hum) shines on ukulele, guitar, & mountain dulcimer. With a voice reminiscent of Appalachia and a fresh, percussive playing style, she relates stories of life, love, murder and history with gentle gusto. RIYL: lyrics, quirky humor, and open hearted love songs. ... more

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