It’s day three of our jolly, Inktober sing-a-long, and today we are heading down South. I am working this month with what tools and supplies I already have in my studio, so today’s piece includes scrap paper letters. I glued down the letters for ‘valley’ then wrote the rest of the title of the song in red. It was a bit too plain so I added the first stanza in larger black letters, then the chorus in tiny black letters along the edges. It’s a bit of a jumble, yet I like it!
Me, me, me, me, me, meeee….there, now your vocal chords are warmed up! Here is the song verses we are singing for today’s sing along:
From this valley they say you are going,
– Traditional Southern Folksong
we will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile.
For they say you are taking the sunshine
that brightens our pathway a while.
Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu!
But remember the Red River Valley,
And the girl who has loved you so true.
Somehow I always picture a cowboy on his horse, or an old railway station with a man hanging out the window holding the hand of his sweetheart. Not sure where that came from, yet when I read these verses in that bookstore (the one where I found the book with all these lyrics) people in the store chimed in and were on tune!
Strange how song lyrics can capture our hearts and minds, even if we have never had to say goodbye to a sweetheart. Is it the tune? Is it the sentiment? Or is it some combination of both? Somewhere long our lives we heard this tune – maybe over and over again – and it got stuck in our heads. I do not apologize if you find yourself humming it all day. It is a sentimental journey that brings us back to simpler times and sincere expression of affection.
Maybe this song should serve as a reminder to us to to tell the people we love what they mean to us. Such as…Come and sit by my side if you love me. Do not hasten to bid me adieu! But remember the Red River Valley, and the girl who has loved you so true.
It is NEVER a bad thing to tell people you love them. EVERYONE wants to be reminded of that…everyday! Don’t wait too long, for it may be too late!
See you tomorrow…keep those vocal chords warmed up!
