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Four and Twenty Blackbirds

from Rough Edges and Ragged Hearts by Linda McRae

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about

Have you ever thought about the violence in nursery rhymes? I hadn't until my daughter pointed it out to me and gave back the book I bought for her to read to her kids.

After putting the book back on the shelf for a year or so and chalking it up to mother and daughter stuff, I took a look a year later and found "London Bridge is falling down, chop their heads off one by one" with a lovely illustration of a headless queen with her head lying on the floor.

I decided to write this song from a child's perspective.

lyrics

Four & Twenty Blackbirds (© Linda McRae)

Who momma who
is the old woman living in a shoe?
so many children she doesn’t know what to do
who momma who?
she feeds them broth but hasn’t any bread
she whips them soundly, sends them to bed
doesn’t she love her babies like you do?
Who is she momma? Who?

What momma what
makes the wind blow in the treetop?
when the wind blows the cradle will rock
what momma what?
when the bough breaks the cradle will fall
down will come baby, cradle and all
what makes the wind blow why doesn’t it stop?
What is it momma? What?

Where momma where
shall I wander because someone’s waiting there?
In his lady’s chamber up and down the stairs
where momma where?
he met an old man who wouldn’t say his prayers
he took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs
I don’t like these stories they're making me scared
Where is he momma? Where?

Why momma why
were 4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie?
sing a song of sixpence and a pocket full of rye
why momma why?
When the pie was opened and the birds began to sing
wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king
but when the pie was opened I know I would have cried
wouldn’t they have died? Why?
Wouldn’t they have died? Momma why?

credits

from Rough Edges and Ragged Hearts, released October 11, 2012
Written by Linda McRae

L. McRae: Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Marc L’Esperance: Backing Vocals
Stephen Nikleva: Electric Guitar

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Linda McRae Kingston Springs, Tennessee

Linda's soaring, honest vocals hold nothing back. She nails a song to the wall. This gifted singer/songwriter/musician and holder of 3 platinum albums, plays clawhammer banjo, acoustic guitar, accordion and porchboard, combining old-time sounds with universal themes of heartbreak & redemption offering an intriguing sepia postcard from the past that is vibrant and alive in the present. ... more

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