Granny's Song

Music is often a significant component of my family get-togethers, as a look at some of the photos in my Flickr account will tell you. My Pops plays fiddle and there are also guitar, piano, and harmonica players among us. (I have nothing about which to brag in this regard, as I've never attempted to develop any musical talents.) A recent family get-together was no exception and included a song that's becoming a standard at such events, Granny's Song by Sheila Kay Adams, a North Carolina story-teller and folk musician. I have reproduced here the lyrics with their author's permission to do so. Believe me; there are few dry eyes by the final chords of this song! :J

Granny's Song

In my mind I see her there,
on the porch sitting in her chair,
with her arms thrown wide to welcome me,
as I walked up the road past her cherry tree.

And with blue-veined hands she taught me how
to plant new corn, milk the cow
and she taught me songs of ancient lore
about kings and queens and love and war.

Chorus:
So Granny get your stick and come walk with me
we'll go digging ginseng in our dreams.
And we'll climb the hillsides over home
as we close our eyes and set our thoughts to roam.
And my heart, my soul, my spirit flies
as I walk with Granny one more time.

"Granny loves you," she says to me,
and "the very best of life is free"
as we rolled our britches to our knees
to wade in the stream beneath the buckeye trees.

And what priceless gifts she gave to me;
the love, the songs, were all for free.
The thoughts I carry in my heart
she helped to plant there from the start.

Repeat Chorus

Well, she reached back down through all those years
and touched my heart and calmed my fears.
She is my Granny and my best friend;
my love for her will never end.

And she takes my little ones on her knee.
She tells them tales she once told me.
With a gentle touch she wipes their brow
as she says, "come walk with Granny now."

Repeat Chorus