Willie's Waltz
Albums
Winter Solstice
Signs of the Times
About a month before my oldest son, Willie, was born, I got a call from Si announcing that he was playing that Saturday night nearby over at the Carter Family Fold and that I was drafted to be his fiddler. Being as we were about 8 1/2 months pregnant over at our house I tried to beg off, but, on my wife, Parthy's insistence, we drove over the mountain for the concert that evening. Well, they had the sound cranked up just a little too high for the first number and Willie, sitting in the front row on the inside of his mother's lap, got the loudest shot of his father's fiddling he'd ever gotten. He immediately started to dance...and didn't stop for the next two hours. Si loved it.
A week or so after Willie's birth he got his first piece of mail. It was from Si: a wonderful little box. Inside the box was a cassette tape with a red bow on it and inside the tape was "Welcome to the World.""Willie's Waltz" was a Christmas gift for Willie's first holiday season, 1982.
Pick me out an old time song
Sing it right and sing it wrong
Play a tune that's nine months long
Welcome to the World
Take my fiddle and my bow
Play you every tune I know
Keep you dancing while you grow
Welcome to the World
We've got diapers by the pail
Parthy's skinny as a rail
Got the whole world by the tail
Welcome to the World
Listen to that baby squall
John, he's nearly ten feet tall
Lord, you'd think he'd done it all
Welcome to the World
In my mind I see you clear
Changing through he days and years
Lord, we're glad you're finally here
Welcome to the World
May you grow up proud and strong
May your life be rich and long
May your nights be filled with song
Welcome to the World
Christmas in the Trenches
Albums
Winter Solstice
Water From Another Time
Live at Wolf Trap
John McCutcheon Live! DVD
Inspired by a back-stage conversation with an old woman in Birmingham, AL, this song tells a story that is not only true, but well-known throughout Europe. For some of the history behind the 1914 WWI Christmas Truce, click here.
My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool,
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders to Germany to here
I fought for King and country I love dear.
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung,
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.
As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht," "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure coming from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.
Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men.
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone for evermore.
My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.
©1984 John McCutcheon/Appalsongs (ASCAP)
Albums
Winter Solstice
Signs of the Times
About a month before my oldest son, Willie, was born, I got a call from Si announcing that he was playing that Saturday night nearby over at the Carter Family Fold and that I was drafted to be his fiddler. Being as we were about 8 1/2 months pregnant over at our house I tried to beg off, but, on my wife, Parthy's insistence, we drove over the mountain for the concert that evening. Well, they had the sound cranked up just a little too high for the first number and Willie, sitting in the front row on the inside of his mother's lap, got the loudest shot of his father's fiddling he'd ever gotten. He immediately started to dance...and didn't stop for the next two hours. Si loved it.
A week or so after Willie's birth he got his first piece of mail. It was from Si: a wonderful little box. Inside the box was a cassette tape with a red bow on it and inside the tape was "Welcome to the World.""Willie's Waltz" was a Christmas gift for Willie's first holiday season, 1982.
Pick me out an old time song
Sing it right and sing it wrong
Play a tune that's nine months long
Welcome to the World
Take my fiddle and my bow
Play you every tune I know
Keep you dancing while you grow
Welcome to the World
We've got diapers by the pail
Parthy's skinny as a rail
Got the whole world by the tail
Welcome to the World
Listen to that baby squall
John, he's nearly ten feet tall
Lord, you'd think he'd done it all
Welcome to the World
In my mind I see you clear
Changing through he days and years
Lord, we're glad you're finally here
Welcome to the World
May you grow up proud and strong
May your life be rich and long
May your nights be filled with song
Welcome to the World
Christmas in the Trenches
Albums
Winter Solstice
Water From Another Time
Live at Wolf Trap
John McCutcheon Live! DVD
Inspired by a back-stage conversation with an old woman in Birmingham, AL, this song tells a story that is not only true, but well-known throughout Europe. For some of the history behind the 1914 WWI Christmas Truce, click here.
My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool,
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders to Germany to here
I fought for King and country I love dear.
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung,
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.
As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht," "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure coming from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.
Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men.
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone for evermore.
My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.
©1984 John McCutcheon/Appalsongs (ASCAP)