Poor Boy

from Pickup Takeout by Jonathan Byrd

/

lyrics

Poor Boy - Jonathan Byrd

Poor boy, poor boy,
where did you learn your song?

From the back of a Black Hill in the land of the free,
the faces of the conquerors for the conquered to see,
a mountain murder ballad in four-part harmony.
That’s where I learned my song.

Poor boy, poor boy,
where did you learn your song?

From the ring of the hammer on the long iron rail,
swung by the hungry and the young men in jail,
singing for their souls and singing for their bail.
That’s where I learned my song.

Poor boy, poor boy,
where did you learn your song?

From the preacher a-preaching in a long monotone,
sharpened by the seasons of sleeping alone,
but the saint is a sinner like a statue is a stone.
That’s where I learned my song.

Poor boy, poor boy,
where did you learn your song?

From the mourners a-mourning in the streets of town.
They cried as they laid their brother’s body down.
The song they were singing made the sweetest sound.
That’s where I learned my song.

credits

from Pickup Takeout, released July 3, 2020

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all rights reserved

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Jonathan Byrd Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Preacher's kid, Gulf War veteran, award-winning songwriter, Youtuber, teacher, and creativity coach from North Carolina.

“One of the top 50 songwriters of the last 50 years. ” — Chicago Tribune

“...a folk singer with the heart of a rock 'n' roll band.” — K. Oliver, Free Times. ... more

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