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The Great Famine of Ireland occurred from 1845 to 1852, a time of feverish social crisis and one of the greatest exoduses from a single island. Roughly a million Irish citizens left--and just as many died. This song was written from the perspective of a couple talking to one another as he's planning to leave for America. She's doubting if he'll ever return and he swears he will.

lyrics

THE ONE WHO STAYED (THE GREAT FAMINE)

You and I, oh my my
Been holding on to these hard times
Not a bite to eat, and no money coming in
The fields are black with something bad
And it’s blowing into all we had
You're done waiting for the wind to blow again

But someone has to hold the fort
Throw kisses from the Old Town port
Watch the mainsail slowly fade away and
Disappear into the sun
Someone has to be The One Who Stayed

You and I, we sacrificed
'Cause for every one that left, one died
Buried in the greenest fields where we once laid
I coulda gone, God knows I tried
And be born again on the other side, till the
Memories and sorrows finally fade

But someone has to hold the fort
Throw kisses from the Old Town port
Watch the mainsail slowly fade away and
Disappear into the sun
Someone had to be The One Who Stayed

May I lay upon the altar of the land of saint and scholar
That a father shouldn’t ever leave behind?
Forgive me, sons and daughters
For leaving in the very worst of times

Now who is gonna watch these kids?
Tell ‘em all the things you did?
Tell them all about your new life, babe?
I'm coming home and when I do
I'll be running right back into you
For seein’ the eyes that never seem to change

But someone has to hold the fort
Throw kisses from the Old Town port
Watch the mainsail slowly fade away and
Disappear into the sun
Someone has to be The One Who Stayed

Someone has to hold the fort
Throw kisses from the Old Town port
Watch the mainsail slowly fade away and
Disappear into the sun
Someone has to be The One Who Stayed

Disappear into the sun, and
Someone has to be The One Who Stayed

credits

from Good Water Safe Camp (Remastered), released April 26, 2023
Words & Music: James Dean Cotton
Vocals, guitars, harmonica: James Dean Cotton
Drums programming in Apple Logic Pro X: James Dean Cotton
Lyrics advice and encouragement: Molly Duggan and Caoimhe Byrne

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James Dean Cotton Seattle, Washington

James Dean Cotton hails from the Missouri Ozarks where bluegrass and Americana infused an easy, 70's acoustic style. He writes and performs solo and with the acoustic duo, American Sons, in the Seattle area.

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