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Bring Me Home

from Bring Me Home by Peggy Seeger

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Peggy writes about this song: Its first draft saw the light at a songwriter's session. which I was teaching. Everyone had to write, overnight, a personal song. I decided to do as I said and came next morning with my own personal song. I presented it, accompanied by fast, monotonous single-string guitar picking, for the group to critique. They gave me excellent suggestions which resulted in my alleviating its sentimentality. Then, thinking it was finished, I sang it to my friends Judy and Dennis Cook (Judy of the unbelievable repertoire and Dennis the Unbelievable Singer's Companion). They commented that the complex accompaniment masked the words. I simplified the accompaniment to more or less what it is now. Then, thinking it was finished, I took it to my Second Son, Calum, and my Second Life Partner, Irene. Between them they subtracted two verses, changed words and pared the text down. Then I changed more words myself and reduced the accompaniment even more. It's been a communal effort. Thanks to all. I sing it now with even less accompaniment. So far, it's finished.

lyrics

BRING ME HOME

words, music, arrangement, ©: Peggy Seeger
administered by Bucks Music
(guitar tuning: lowD-G-middleD-G-B-highD)

I heard my mother's birthing cry
The day that I was born
I saw the light in my father's eye
And knew that I was home
And knew that I was home.

My brothers' hands took hold of mine
They never did let go
When trees were tall - they helped me climb
And they always brought me home
Even now they bring me home.

Songs of love, tales of grace,
Of flesh and blood and bone
The first time ever I saw his face
His heart became my own,
Then his heart became my home.

Long, long-gone family time
Honey on the comb
So many treasured hands in mine
All those years of home
Now all those years are gone.

The reaper left an empty chair
An endless, silent song
I sat and cried on the topmost stair
And lost the way back home
I lost my way back home.

A woman's hand took hold of mine
In comradeship - until
We poured a glass of sweeter wine
And learned to drink our fill
O, we drank our fill,

Long nights while the watchful moon
Lit the shadows in our room

All that I have loved so long
And the loves that I have known
You bring me back where I belong
You always take me home
Bring me home, bring me home
You always bring me home.

credits

from Bring Me Home, released January 22, 2008

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Peggy Seeger Oxford, UK

Peggy is one of the most influential folk singers on either side of the Atlantic. She is Pete Seeger’s half-sister and Ruth Crawford Seeger’s daughter; her first life partner was the English songwriter Ewan MacColl, who wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for her. She has made more than 22 solo recordings to date. Please check ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com for other albums featuring Peggy. ... more

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