Shenandoah - Anaïs Mitchell

Lord have mercy on my mind

Mercy on my memory

I’m lying 'neath the same Virginia sky

Where she lay beside me, biding time

Trying to abide me

Every night when the night was long

She was clinging to me

Told me twice that her love was strong

Stronger than the love in old love songs

She was singing to me

O, shenandoah

Cross the rolling water

O, shenandoah

Where’s your restless daughter?

Don’t know what I gave them for

All my little lessons

How you start the peas before the corn

How you start before the air is warm

She was never listening

I could see it there in her sorry eyes

Hear it in her breathing

Didn’t come to me like some surprise

Didn’t even ask her why

When she said, «I'm leaving»

O, shenandoah

Cross the rolling water

O, shenandoah

Where’s your willful daughter?

I brought in the winter squash

I brought in the melon

Cortland, empire, macintosh

On the afternoon before the frost

I could feel it coming

I can see her now in her flowery clothes

All of those things I bought her

Trailing her perfume wherever she goes

Cross the rolling water

Shenandoah

Where’s your reckless daughter?

Shenandoah

Mercy on your daughter