(c) Paul Baumgarten

This photo was taken by Paul Baumgarten at the El Día de los Muertos Festival in Fountain Square – Indianapolis, 2005.

This song was inspired by a conversation with an older man at this festival about his departed wife, and how he hoped that in singing to her he could keep her memory alive and help her find her way back to him.

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Rosa

Rosa, you were late tonight,

You were late last tonight

To our home, to our bed

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When you went to visit

I never thought it’d take your life

I’ll never be the singer

I could have been for you that night

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Rosa, you were late tonight,

You were late last night

You never called you never showed

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Rosa you were there now you’re gone

All that I have left for now is the sound

Of my own heart in love with you

All that we should have has flown

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O life left, o sweet death, take me now

O winter, o summer, cover me

No one to sing to, no one to sing to a wilting heart

No one to live for, no one to live with take me now

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Summer, fall and winter, spring who will life within me bring

If my love has fallen ill partook the ancient bitter pill

Will she live, o will she live if her life has flown the sieve

Where will I go, where will I go if she now wears a shadows gown

—

© 2007 Hymnasters Collective

collage by Kipp Normand

I live on Pleasant Street.  My friends live on Pleasant street.  We run the streets and gather in each others homes and backyards for garden tending and picnics.

This song is about two of my good friends who both live on Pleasant Street.  Both of their Father’s died the same week.  It was crushing.  But when we thought about the Golden Parade awaiting them it helped to ease the sting a little.

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Pleasant Street

We’re leaving Pleasant Street today

You’ll pack the girls and drive away

We’ll pack and go our separate ways

I’m taking a flight to my hometown

We’ll drive the lonely hours there

We’re leaving Pleasant Street

We’re leaving all our friends today

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You’ll put the tractor in the barn

It’s much colder where you’re from

We’ll park the cars upon the lawn

We fight our hearts both turning numb

We’ll sit for hours in the old churchyard

You will stand like the barren fields

And grieve the loss of a father’s strong arms

I will feel the concrete; I will seal the stone

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We’re leaving Pleasant Street today

We’ll pack our darkest cloths

Get your black coat get your black shoes

Then when we’re gone, they’ll fill our hearts

They’ll fill our home with all the love they have

and lot’s of flowers for the dead.

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We’re leaving Pleasant Street today

We’ll miss the Sunday dinner

They’ll miss the storm of winter

They’ll leave a plate

They’ll clear the snow away

And when we find we’re home

They’ll wrap us in the arms of love

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We have gone to bury our fathers

Rescued from death - raised up to heaven

They will find one who’s built them a mansion

Right by the side of the golden parade

Down Pleasant Street

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© 2007 Hymnasters Collective

Banks of the Ohio is a 19th century murder ballad.  It was first recorded by Red Patterson’s Piedmont Log Rollers on August 12, 1927.  The song has been recorded since then by such musical luminaries as the Carter Family, Johnny Cash, Doc Watson, the Handsome Family, and now us.

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Banks of the Ohio

I asked my love to take a walk,

Just to walk a little way,

And as we walked and as we talked

of our golden wedding day.

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Then only say that you’ll be mine

In no other arms you’ll find

Down beside where the waters flow

On the banks of the Ohio

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I drew a knife across her breast

Gently in my arms she pressed

Crying please, oh please don’t you murder me

For I’m unprepared for eternity

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I took her by the lily white hand

I led her down where the waters stand

I plunged her in where she would drown,

And watched her as she floated down

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I started back home twixt twelve and one

Crying my god what have I done?

I’ve murdered the only woman I love

Because she would not be my bride

—

© 2007 Hymnasters Collective

St Patrick's Church

St. Patrick’s Church was burned down by an arsonist in 1927.  It was rebuilt two years later. We wrote this song to celebrate the resiliency of the church and the fighting spirit that indwells the people of Fountain Square.

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1927

Every bird will fly when there’s a fire

And every man will stand to watch the flames

And every priest will pray for his own spire

And Fountain Square is losing one tonight

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Every ear will hear the siren’s calling

And every bell that rings is our distress

And all our hearts will echo with the horror

And all our darkest fears will be confessed

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Hotter than the August sun

Watch the ashes rise like the prayers of the people

All our memories (and confessions)

Drifting up to heaven like the dark snow of winter

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Everyone that comes will be a witness

And everyone who comes will build it back

Better than in all its former glory

St. Patrick’s church will stay alive tonight

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Hotter than the August sun

Smell the smoke like sweet perfume that carries our transgressions

All our years and dreaming

Vanish in the Roiling clouds and drift up to sunless skies

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Think of the hand that struck the match

Think of the blood that quenched the flames

Think of the one who gave his breathe

Think of the one who calls your name

—

© 2007 Hymnasters Collective

Fountain Square - Photo by Paul Baumgarten

Fountain Square, Please Don’t Die

I know, I’ve been down to the fountain and I’ve seen the waters flow

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Fountain Square, please don’t’ die

Take our homes and take our wives

Beat our hearts and beat the odds

You will climb and you will fly

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We will love and we will fight

We will build into the night

Will you wait for us?

We are waiting for you

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Fountain Square, please don’t’ die

They drove a highway through your side

Broke your heart, and took your pride

Cast your people far and wide

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Fountain Square, please don’t die

Who will light our evening fires?

Neighborhoods and neighbors eyes

As dusk drifts into midnight skies

—

© 2007 Hymnasters Collective

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Ebenezer and the Hymnasters – The Golden Parade

Track List:

1. Rosa

2. Banks of the Ohio

3. Daughter from the Dust

4. Elenore

5. 1927

6. Fire Inside

7. Stars are Cheap

8. Sooner than Later

9. Your Name is Hurricane

10. Pleasant Street

11. Fountain Square, Please Don’t Die

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Track List:

1. Rosa, You were late tonight

2. Banks of the Ohio

3. Daughter from the Dust

4. Elenore

5. 1927

6. Fire Inside

7. Stars are Cheap

8. Sooner than Later

9. Your Name is a Hurricane

10. Pleasant Street

11. Fountain Square, Please Don’t Die

//

skip over to myspace to hear a few tracks.

This year’s battle stacks the musical genius’s of Led Zeppelin versus Bob Dylan.  Led Zeppelin covers going for it at Radio Radio and Dylan strummings featured in the Fountain Square Theatre.

Two members of our group, Kyle Ragsdale and Elyce Elder are also contributing art for the Tonic Gallery Fundraiser.

We will be covering “Gallow’s Pole” by Led Zeppelin and unveiling a new song from our summer travels.

Read the history of this old folk song here:

A collective made up of various artists and their wares:

Bruce Benedict,
guitar, vox, sommelier

Eric Evans,
bass, composition, vox

Kipp Normand,
fiddle, saw, auto-harp, historic preservation

Kyle Ragsdale,
vox, painter, tambourines, curator 

Bethany Hodge,
vox, knitting, group physician

Elyce Elder,
washboard, shakers, bells, and materials specialist

Chris Overpeck (aka ‘Unicorn),
lap steel, beer hauteur

Phil Milam,
percussion, helping us find our way in the dark

Honorary Members:

Erin Griffin,
violin, vox, clawhammer banjo

Steven Jones,
mandolin, guitars, Welshness

Ray Mills,
papa bear.