комментированный список 1961 "Джоан Баэз, том 2"

Lonesome Road (Traditional)

Look up and down that long lonesome road
Hang down your head and cry, my Lord
Hang down your head and cry.
They say all good friends must part some time
Why not you and I, my Lord
Why not you and I

Oh I wish to the Lord that I'd never been born,
Or died when I was a baby, my Lord
Or died when I was a baby.
I wouldn't be here eatin' this cold corn bread,
Or soppin' this salty gravy, my Lord
Or soppin' this salty gravy.

Oh I wish to the Lord that I'd never seen your face
Heard your lying tongue, my Lord
Heard your lying tongue
You better look up and down that long lonesome road,
Where all of your friends have gone, my Lord
And you and I must go.

You better look up and down that long lonesome road,
Hang down your head and cry, my Lord
Hang down your head and cry.
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другие строки; музыковедческий комментарий
Look down, look down, that lonesome road,
Hang down your head and cry;
The best of friends must part some day,
But why should you and I?
Look down, look down, that lonesome road,
Hang down your head and cry;
If you would leave me for another,
Then why not let me die?

“Lonesome Road” appeared in Carl Sandburg’s
1927 collection, American Songbag, in an
arrangement by Ruth Crawford, with lyrics
somewhat more bitter than the version set here.
This desolate song of betrayal and loss is set with
tender simplicity, alternating the hollow fifths of
emptiness (hinting melodically once again at there
curring modal figure) with warmer arpeggiated
polychords in thirds. In the last line of the song,
the fifths and thirds are intertwined, perhaps
reflecting the emotional ambiguity of the conclusion.