One Response to “Odetta”

1. 

   Stephen Alcorn November 28th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea
   Back to the Garden whence we came
   Back to the spring of your sweet refrain
   “All the way to freedom land…
   All the way to freedom land”
   Across the skies and back through time
   Back to the cradle of humankind

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   She’s a force of nature, second to none
   Earth, wind and fire rolled into one
   Rolling thunder across the sky
   Sweet Black Angel from on high
   Mighty river crisscrossin� our land
   Inviting everyone to stand hand-in-hand
   To gather �round and sing a song
   Of hope and redemption�it won�t be long

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   You can trace her song to the heart of the South
   One New Year�s Eve and the cry from a mouth
   Of a big baby girl, strong and sweet
   To a tear of joy on a Mama�s cheek
   What�s in a name? Father Time do tell
   So her folks made sure to choose a name well
   The name Odetta, once akin to melody,
   Foretold a future�a destiny

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   Odetta, she could sing before she could talk
   Odetta, she could dance before she could walk
   The gift of music flows through her veins
   And bursts at the seams like a runaway train
   Classically trained right from the start
   Along came the music that stole her heart
   Music of the people, music of the land
   Pure and simple�noble and grand

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   Straight from the �Bam� she moved out to L.A.
   Then it was on to the �Frisco Bay
   She joined a theater, and started to sing
   Then picked up a guitar and let it ring
   Her Fate was sealed when she was still young
   A folk musician she would become
   To souls of the past she�d lend her voice
   May their spirits arise�and may they rejoice

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   With an Afro like a halo, she could be seen
   All decked out like an African Queen
   And just about the time she was being discovered
   The glory of her people was recovered
   People flocked in to catch the new sound
   As it traveled by train from town to town
   Guided by a spirit that beamed a light
   Black Is Beautiful�Right Is Might

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   Arriving in the Village, she was given the keys
   And greeted with bows on bended knees
   Within weeks she was proclaimed
   The Queen of Folk, and to this day she remains
   The Mother Hen of folk musicians
   The guardian angel of a sacred tradition
   Casting her spell both day and night
   Bridging the gap between black and white

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   One fine hour back in �63
   Odetta sang her famous Freedom Trilogy
   By her side stood Martin Luther King
   His �I Have A Dream� speech about to take wing
   And to the whole world she sang with pride
   Of freedom sought and freedom denied
   As centuries of trials, troubles and tribulations
   Gave rise to the dream of a� United Nation!

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea

   Oh Odetta, sing for me
   Take me across that deep blue sea
   Back to the Garden whence we came
   Back to the spring of your sweet refrain
   �All the way to freedom land�
   All the way to freedom land�
   Across the skies and back through time
   Back to the cradle of Humankind
   �Humankind
   �Humankind

   And before I�ll be a slave
   I�ll be buried in my grave.

   � �Ode To Odetta�
   Words and music by Stephen Alcorn �2008

   http://www.alcorngallery.com/adesso//media/Ode-To-Odetta.mp3

   �������

   http://www.alcorngallery.com/adesso//adesso_mp3_samples.php

   The Alcorn Studio & Gallery
   112 West Main Street
   Cambridge, New York 12816
   Telephone: (518) 677-5798
   e-mail: stephen.alcorn@verizon.net
   http: http://www.alcorngallery.com