Breedloves's Folk Songs

500 MILES

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  • 500 MILES
    Hedy West was an American Folksinger and Songwriter. She was of the same generation
    as Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and others of the American folk music revival. Musically she
    was the equal of any of her peers. Her stylistic range was far narrower, but arguably far
    deeper. She was described by the great English folk musician Al Lloyd as “far and away
    the best of American girl singers in the [folk] revival”. Born Hedwig Grace West in the
    mountains of northern Georgia, she had a darkly authentic folk tradition in her blood.
    “500 Miles” has been covered by hundreds of artists over the years, and is her most
    popular song.
    If you miss the train, I’m on,
    You will know that I am gone.
    You can hear the whistle blow
    One hundred miles.
    One hundred miles, one hundred miles,
    One hundred miles, one hundred miles,
    You can hear the whistle blow
    One hundred miles.
    Lord, I’m one, lord, I’m two,
    Lord, I’m three, Lord, I’m four,
    Lord, I’m five hundred miles
    Away from home.
    Five hundred miles, five hundred miles,
    Five hundred miles, five hundred miles,
    Lord, I’m five hundred miles
    Away from home.
    Not a shirt on my back,
    Not a penny to my name.
    Lord, I can’t go a-home
    This a-way.
    This a-way, this a-way,
    This a-way, this a-way,
    Lord, I can’t go a-home this a-way.

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