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Told from a child’s perspective, a family deals with conflict after a soldier comes home
Acoustic guitar, cello, and vocal harmonies

lyrics

Soldier
© 2015 The Squirrel Hillbillies

The army sent my daddy home with shrapnel in his hands
Uncle got him working at the plant
He said he felt like he was back behind a prison wall
Ma said it was a shame he came home at all

The neighbor left us rosaries and magazines and cards
She prayed as I played in the yard
Daddy left his work boots in the dumpster up the street
The foreman said take all the time you need

He took up carving figures with a rusty pocket knife
His broken hands brought the wood to life
He whispered and he hummed while he whittled with his thumbs
And told me fairy tales that he made up

He talked about the desert and a soldier on a quest
And he twitched as he described the sun's relentlessness
He pulled the window curtains down and next he took the blinds
I wonder if he thought the sun might need his help to shine

The flag was like a lookout high above the clinic steps
50 stars and countless cast off cigarettes
Mama left the bus fare on the counter with a key
I let Daddy have the window seat

At night he'd often pace and then he'd curl up on the floor
He had a favorite spot near the door
One morning Mama kicked him as she hurried off to work
He groaned but he didn't say a word

When he woke he grabbed his coat and reached out for my hand
Then he vanished like an etching on the sand
Ma told me that she always knew he'd end up on the street
She said it even when the tears rolled down my cheeks

Mama got new curtains and a man to share her bed
Time for me to move along, she said
Uncle bought my ticket and a shiny pocket knife
And I'm leaving for the desert with a shadow at my side

credits

from On the Loose, released December 31, 2020

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The Squirrel Hillbillies Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From deep within the urban forest of Pittsburgh's East End, the Squirrel Hillbillies often emerge to share their eclectic mix of acoustic roots, spanning folk, country and blues. Duo partners Jenny Wolsk and Gary Crouth have been writing, arranging, recording and performing together since 2010. Their original songs have been played on radio programs in the US, Europe and around the world. ... more

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