Get all 6 Squirrel Butter releases available on Bandcamp and save 15%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Hazelnut, Kiss the Cook, Chestnuts, Leave on the Light, Banjo Clog, and Renderings.
1. |
Whippoorwill Song
03:44
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Out in the dark, so quiet and still
Comes the sound of the poor
whippoorwill
With only the stars to sing to until
Day’s first rays break over the hill
Hoping to find
Seeing in the blind
Now that’s my kind
Of a worried mind
Out in the cold, alone in this world
Comes the sound of the poor little bird
With only one reason to brave the chill
To sing the song of the poor whippoorwill
Hoping to find
Seeing in the blind
Now that’s my kind
Of a worried mind
Out in the dark, so quiet and still
Where the owl and the fox lie waiting to kill
But they haven't stopped him and they never will
To sing the song of the poor whippoorwill
Hoping to find
Seeing in the blind
Now that’s my kind
Of a worried mind
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2. |
Freight Train Mama
02:29
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She’s rolling down the track, she’s rolling down the line
Her engine’s hot and she’s looking fine
Better shut your mouth and shovel her coal
This hot mama’s got a place to go
Freight train mama
She’s a freight train mama
Hard steel woman, hair coal black
Hear those heels go clickety clack
Now don’t you cheat, don’t you steal
She’ll know your game before you deal
She won’t put up with your petty crime
She’s running this train right on time
Freight train mama
She’s a freight train mama
Hard steel woman, hair coal black
Hear my heart go whickety whack
She’s on the rails to give ‘em hell
Gonna get me out of this county jail
Watch in her pocket, paper in her hand
Coming to her baby from across the land
Freight train mama
She’s a freight train mama
Heart of steel woman, hair coal black
Hear those heels go clickety clack
She’s rolling down the track, she’s rolling down the line
Her engine’s hot and she’s looking fine
Better shut your mouth and shovel her coal
This hot mama’s got a place to go
Freight train mama
She’s a freight train mama
Heart of steel woman, hair coal black
Hear those heels go clickety clack
Oh, hear my heart go whickety whack
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3. |
Pond Creek
02:47
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4. |
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I just had to let you know
What I’m hearing today
In every place I stray
As I walk away
There’s someone who loves you so
And a little bird told me
What I thought could never be
A heart has been set free
And I just had to let you know
The rumors abound
And I can’t keep ‘em down
A lost heart was found
And lifted up off the ground
There’s someone who loves you so
And the birds in the trees
They’re all whistling to me
Even they agree
I just had to let you know
I just had to let you know
Though I know you’re not the kind
To go listening to grape vines
Or pay ‘em any mind
There’s someone who loves you so
And the birds all about
They’ve let the word get out
And it makes me wanna shout
I just had to let you know
The rumors abound
And I can’t keep ‘em down
A lost heart was found
And lifted up off the ground
There’s someone who loves you so
And the birds all agree
The someone could be me
That's why, you see
I just had to let you know
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5. |
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6. |
Wagoner's Lad
05:11
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I’m just a poor girl, my fortune is bad
I’m just a poor girl, my fortune is bad
I’ve always been courted by the wagoner’s lad
He courted me daily, both night and day
He courted me daily, both night and day
And now he is loaded and he’s going away
Go put up your horses and feed them some hay
Go put up your horses and feed them some hay
And come and sit by me for as long as you’ll stay
My horses ain’t hungry and they won’t eat your hay
My horses ain’t hungry, they won’t eat your hay
So I’ll ride on little darlin’ and I’ll be on my way
Your parents is against us, they say I’m too poor
Your parents is against us, they say I’m too poor
They say I’m not worthy to enter your door
But I work for my living, my money is my own
I work for my living, my money is my own
And them that don’t like it can leave me alone
I’ll ride into Georgy, I’ll write you my mind
I’ll ride into Georgy, I’ll write you my mind
My mind is to marry and to leave you behind
I’m just a poor girl, my fortune is bad
I’m just a poor girl, my fortune is bad
I’ve always been courted by the wagoner's lad
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7. |
Mama Never Played
04:38
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There’s a picture in my mind, going way back in time
To my mother’s kind and worried eyes
With a letter from school, about minding the rules
And the problem child who never ever tries
To restless to see the pain and misery
I brought to my family that day
But she said, “Get in the car, we’re buying that guitar,
The one you said you'd like to learn to play.”
Though mama never played she taught me ever song I made
In the love that she gave me all along
No, she never picked a string, but she taught me how to sing
And how to give everything for a song
Now, many years have flown, since I started all alone
Packed my six string and gone down the road
And when I said goodbye, she looked me in the eye
And cried and held me tight and watched me go
So eager to play in the bright lights far away
I barely heard her saying at the door
“Whatever you go through and no matter what you do,
You’ll always be my darling baby boy.”
Though mama never played she taught me ever song I made
In the love that she gave me all along
No, she never picked a string, but she taught me how to sing
And how to give everything for a song
I spent years bummin’ ‘round and playing town to town
Fell in love and settled down and made a home
It would make my mama proud to see me here somehow
She’s smiling down from Heaven now I know
I’ve played under the stars and in crowded rowdy bars
Now my favorite gig by far is down the hall
Singing lullabies while our baby shuts her eyes
As I realize I’m playing Mama’s song
Though mama never played she taught me ever song I made
In the love that she gave me all along
No, she never picked a string, but she taught me how to sing
And how to give everything for a song
She gave everything for a song
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8. |
Grey Goose
03:29
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One dark Monday mornin’, one dark Monday mornin’
Your daddy went a-huntin’, and he took along a shotgun
Along come a grey goose, and he pulled on the trigger
And the gun went a booballo, and down come the grey goose
He was six weeks fallin’, yeah six weeks fallin’
And we put him him on the wagon and we brought him
to the cool house
And me and your daddy, we get with feather picking
We were six weeks pickin’, yeah six weeks pickin’
And we put him on the fire, he was six weeks cookin’
And we put him on the table, he was still alive and kickin’
And the fork wasn’t sticking and the knife wasn’t cutting
So we took him to the sawmill and he broke the saws teeth out
So we throwed him in the hog pen and the hogs couldn’t eat him
And he broke the sow’s jawbone, yes he broke the sow’s jawbone
And the last time I seen him, he was flyin’ across the ocean
With three tail feathers and a long string of goslings
And they went a honk honk, ‘cause you can’t kill the grey goose
He’s a wise ol’ grey goose, no you can’t kill the grey goose
And they all went a honk honk, yes they all went a honk honk
Honk honk honk honk honk honk honk...
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9. |
Rose Di Maggio
02:57
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10. |
Mr. Moon
03:58
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Hey, Mr. Moon above
I’m playing this tune
For someone you see
That’s blue like you and me
So say, “Goodnight, my love”
All that I’m dreaming of
Is you
By the starry sea
Don’t turn your light away
To the darkness all around
While someone is waiting
Waiting to be found
Please Mr. Moon
I’m counting on you
Hey, Mr. Moon so bright
Shine your blue light
On someone you see
Lingering so lonely
And say, “Goodnight, my love”
Maybe tonight
Each other will meet
On the river of dreams
Don’t turn your light away
To the darkness all around
While someone is waiting
Waiting to be found
Please Mr. Moon
I’m counting on you
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11. |
Roses In The Morning
01:47
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12. |
Nobody Cares
04:19
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Nobody hates me
And that’s nice to know
No unkind words are ever heard
Shouting at my door
The postman don’t deliver
No hate-mail here
No angry letters, no letters ever
Nobody cares
Nobody cares about me
But they won’t hear me pouting
I’m doing fine
When I’m reclined
Alone in my chair
You can have your fun without me
I won’t let anyone doubt me
‘Cause I’m all alone
When the tears are flowing and
Nobody cares
Nobody argues with me
And that’s a comfort to me
When I come home
At dusk or dawn
I don’t have to explain
And nobody waits up for me
And calls down the stairs
“It’s time for bed. Come rest your head.”
Nobody cares
Nobody cares about me
But they won’t hear me pouting
I’m doing fine
When I’m reclined
Alone in my chair
You can have your fun without me
I won’t let anyone doubt me
‘Cause I’m all alone
When the tears are flowing and
Nobody cares
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13. |
Waltz For Charmy
02:45
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14. |
Wishing Blues
02:54
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I wish I had the kind of blues that you have
so restlessly longing to be free
I wish I had the kind of blues that you have,
Then I’d tell what I'd do I’d give my blues to you
So you’d come home and settle down with me
Oh, babe
You’re looking awfully sad today
You say you need to go away
This place is driving you insane
Oh, babe
I hate to see you hurt this way
But before you shed a tear
Let me make this one thing clear
There’ll be no more complaining around here
Because I wish I had the kind of blues that you have
so restlessly longing to be free
I wish I had the kind of blues that you have
Then I’d tell what I’d do, I’d give my blues to you
So you’d come home and settle down with me
Oh, darling
I see the tears are softly falling
I guess the highway is a calling
And you’ll soon be leaving me
Oh, babe
I hate to see you hurt this way
But I wish that could be me
Swimming wild and free
With all the other fishes in the sea
Because I wish I had the kind of blues that you have
So restlessly longing to be free
I wish I had the kind of blues that you have
Then I'd tell what I’d do
I'd give my blues to you
So you'd come home and settle down with me
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15. |
Tied Up In Knots
03:14
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I’m tied up in knots thinking about you
Twisted and tangled, don’t know what to do
I’ve pulled out my heartstrings to undo this mess
But I’m still tied up in knots over you
I’m sitting at the bar stool
I’m trying to catch your eye
You’re with someone else
Don’t know I’m alive
How quickly you’ve forgotten
The love that we once had
You’ve tied me and left me here
Alone, drunk and sad
I’m tied up in knots thinking about you
Twisted and tangled, don't know what to do
I’ve pulled out my heartstrings to undo this mess
But I’m still tied up in knots over you
I wonder how this came to be
It wasn’t long ago
We danced in each other’s arms
Swaying to and fro
But now you’ve found a new love
And I’m left behind
Dragging my heart around the town
Still hooked on your line
I’m tied up in knots thinking about you
Twisted and tangled, don’t know what to do
I’ve pulled out my heartstrings to undo this mess
But I’m still tied up in knots over you
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16. |
Irish Waltz
02:09
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17. |
Railroad Dog
03:41
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I don’t get much company
Coming to my shack
It’s just a little box of metal and wood
All alone by the railroad track
I used to be scared and lonely
And the times were mighty hard
But that was then, I found a friend
He’s my little railroad dog
Railroad dog
By the railroad yard
He’s a friend of mine
Better beware if you see him tonight
He’ll whoop you back, up and down the track
He’s my little railroad dog
He’s the meanest dog you ever saw
For miles and miles around
He don’t look like much, just a scruffy mutt
With his long tongue hanging down
When a gang of fools tried to rough me up
I gave my friend a call
With just three legs and one eyeball
He whooped them, he whooped them all
Railroad dog
By the railroad yard
He’s a friend of mine
Better beware if you see him tonight
He’ll whoop you back, up and down the track
He’s my little railroad dog
When the freight whistle blows
He's heading for a boxcar door
Fetching balls in Arkansas
Or digging bones down in Muscle Shoals
He's got bitches up in Scranton
To St Louis down to San Antone
I gave him a name, but he chewed it off
He's just my little railroad dog
Railroad dog
By the railroad yard
He's a friend of mine
Better beware if you see him tonight
He'll whoop you back, up and down the track
He's my little railroad dog
One day a train rattled my walls
And he didn't even budge
Didn't even open his eyeball
I loved that dog so much
I poured a little whiskey, just to ease my worried mind
Then he jumped right up, took the bottle from me
And rambled on down the line
Railroad dog
By the railroad yard
He's a friend of mine
Better beware if you see him tonight
He'll whoop you back, up and down the track
He's my little railroad dog
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Squirrel Butter Seattle, Washington
Based in Seattle, husband & wife duo Squirrel Butter, Charlie Beck & Charmaine Slaven, performs traditional and original music primarily influenced by Appalachian, early country, jug band, and blues artists from the late 1800’s through 1950’s.
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