hedy west, “500 miles” and “little sadie”
from:accompanying herself on the Five string banjo, 1963
“If you miss the train I’m on
You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles!
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles!
If my honey said so
I’d railroad no more
I’d sidetrack my engine and go home!
And go home
And go home
And go home
And go home
I’d sidetrack my engine and go home!
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!
Away from home
Away from home
Away from home
Away from home
Lord, I’m five hundred miles away from home!
I told my little letter
Just as plain as I could tell her
She’d better come along and go with me!
Go with me
Go with me
Go with me
Go with me
She’d better come along and go with me!
My shoes are all worn
My clothes are all torn
Lord I can’t go back home this a-way!
This-a way
This-a way
This-a way
This-a way
Lord I can’t go back home this a-way!
If this train runs me right
I’ll be back tomorrow night
I’m coming down the line on number nine!
Number nine
Number nine
Number nine
Number nine
I’m coming down the line on number nine!
Not a shirt on my back
Not a penny to my name
Lord, I can’t make a living this a-way!
This-a way
This-a way
This-a way
This-a way
Lord, I can’t make a living this a-way!
If you miss the train I’m on
You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles!
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
A hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles!
”
Hedy West performing on Pete Seeger’s public tv program Rainbow Quest (1965-66.) That’s Mississippi John Hurt aside her. She was in the middle of the middle of everything during the 60’s folk revival. In fact she had grown up in Georgia musical family which had helped create the musical traditions the revivalists were reviving. Her unadorned hymn 500 Miles has its unique place in heart of the American spiritual songbag. A serious vocal and instrumental virtuoso.