The Ballad of Hollis Brown - Totta Näslund

Hollis brown He lived on the outside of town Hollis brown He lived on the outside of town With his wife and five children And his cabin fallin

Hollis Brown He lived on the outside of town Hollis Brown He lived on the outside of town With his wife and five children And his cabin brokin' down You looked for work and money And you walked a rugged mile You looked for work and money And you walked a rugged mile Your children are so hungry That they don't know how to smile Your baby's eyes look crazy They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve Your baby's eyes look crazy They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve You walk the floor and wonder why With every breath you breathe The rats have got your flour Bad blood it got your mare The rats have got your flour Bad blood it got your mare If there's anyone that knows Is there anyone that cares? You prayed to the Lord above Oh please send you a friend You prayed to the Lord above Oh please send you a friend Your empty pocket tell you That you ain't a-got no friend Your babies are crying louder now It's pounding on your brain Your babies are crying louder now It's pounding on your brain Your wife's screams are stabbin' you Like the dirty drivin' rain Your grass is turning brown There's no water in your well Your grass is turning brown There's no water in your well Your spent your last lone dollar On seven shotgun shels Way out in the wilderness A cold coyote calls Way out in the wilderness A cold coyote calls Your eyes fix on the shortgun That's hangin' on the wall Your brain is a-bleedin' And your legs can't seem to stand Your brain is a-bleedin' And your legs can't seem to stand Your eyes fix on the shotgun That you're holdin' in your hand There's seven breezes a-blowin' All around your cabin door There's seven breezes a-blowin' All around your cabin door Seven shots ring out Like the ocean's pounding roar There's seven people dead On a south Dakota farm There's seven people dead On a south Dakota farm Somewhere in the distance There's seven new people born

Hollis Brown He lived on the outside of town Hollis Brown He lived on the outside of town With his wife and five children And his cabin broken down Oh he looked for work and money And he walked a ragged mile Oh he looked for work and money And he walked a ragged mile And your children are so hungry That they don't know how to smile Your baby's eyes look crazy They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve Your baby's eyes look crazy They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve You walk the floor and wonder why With every breath you breathe Hey, hey! The rats have got your flour Bad blood it got your mare Oh The rats have got your flour Bad blood it got your mare If there's anyone that knows Is there anyone that cares? And oh, you prayed to the Lord above Oh please send you a friend And oh, you prayed to the Lord above Oh please send you a friend Your empty pockets tell you That you ain't a-got no friend Your babies' eyes are crying It's pounding on your brain Your babies' eyes are crying It's pounding on your brain Your wife's screams are stabbin' you Like the dirty drivin' rain Your grass it is turning black There's no water in your well Your grass is turning black There's no water in your well You spent your last lone dollar On seven shotgun shells Way out in the wilderness A cold coyote calls Way out in the wilderness A cold coyote calls Your eyes fix on the shotgun That's hangin' on the wall Your brain is a-bleedin' And your legs can't seem to stand Your brain is a-bleedin' And your legs can't seem to stand Your eyes fix on the shotgun That you're holdin' in your hand Woah oh oh oh, oh oh oh, Woah oh oh oh, oh oh oh There's seven breezes a-blowin' All around the cabin door There's seven breezes a-blowin' All around the cabin door Seven shots ring out Like the ocean's pounding roar There's seven people dead On a South Dakota farm There's seven people dead On a South Dakota farm Somewhere in the distance There's seven new people born

Years ago my heart was set to live, oh And I've been trying hard against unblievable odds Gets so hard at times like now to hold on Guns they wait to be stuck by That my side is gone And there ain't noone going to turn me around There ain't no one going to turn me around People around you tell you that they know The places they've been to and it's easy to go They'll zip you up and dress you down and stand you in a room You know you don't have to You can just say no And they're ain't no one going to turn me around There ain't no one going to turn me around There ain't no one going to turn me around There ain't no one going to turn me around I've been built up and trusted Broke down and busted They'll get theirs and we'll get ours If you can just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Years ago my heart was set to live, oh And I've been trying hard against, against strong odds Gets so hard at times like now to hold on Gonna fall if I dont fight That my side is gone And there ain't no one going to turn me around There ain't no one going to turn me around Ain't noone going to turn me around There ain't noone going to turn me around

När nästa måndag kommer ska jag lämna allt det här Inte ringa in till jobbet... utan bara dra För här är jag en främling, ingen känner mig vid namn Och dom pengar jag har tjänat kan, dom få ta Jag ska ställa mig på vägen bara lita på min tur Och nå fram till Strömstad innan dan är slut Och fastän Kosterfjorden härjar, som en svart och salt demon Ska jag finna en bra båtsman som vill gå ut Jag kunde haft dig där på Kosters klippor Jag kunde haft dig än i denna dag Och om jag ändå vore där på Kosters klippor Få känna frihet i ett enda andetag Om jag sluter mina ögon, kan jag se ditt ansikte På ett nött fotografi som bleknar bort Jag kan nästan höra rösten, när du ropar efter mig Genom dimman efter alla år som gått Jag kunde haft dig där på Kosters klippor Jag kunde haft dig än i denna dag Och om jag ändå vore där på Kosters klippor Få känna frihet i ett enda andetag Jag vet att jag är full nu, som jag ofta brukar va' Och jag vet att jag har sagt allt det här förut Men när nästa måndag kommer är jag lång, långt härifrån Jag står högst uppe på högen och blickar ut Jag kunde haft dig där på Kosters klippor Jag kunde haft dig än i denna dag Och om jag ändå vore där på Kosters klippor Få känna frihet i ett enda andetag