Norman and Nancy Blake with James and Rachel Bryan

[havi70]

Sounds to me she says, " I can't hold my hand steady" as in holding the camera still.

[mandosandradios]

at 1:01, does a woman say "you can't hold my hand, Steve" ?

[fridrikur]

@mandosandradios You can't hold my camera steve. Is my bid

[fridrikur]

@mandosandradios You are right. Listening again it sounds as if she says: You can't hold my hand now, Steve. Steve is probably her kid, and she is the one holding the camera.

[jocwalk]

The scary thing was that Norman felt horribly that night. A nurse was even there to check on him before the show.

[combsmatt]

Norman's ears were clogged up and the nurse came to clean them out.

[pylgrym]

''Two Pictures'' by James Bryan and Carl Jones is as fine an album in this same vein as you will ever hear.

[themysteryhole]

One of my favorite albums ever. I wish James would record something new! His fiddle playing is so incredible. If you guys have record players, try to find Norman's "The Rising Fawn String Ensemble" and "Full Moon on the Farm".

[zkafel]

i have the rising fawn string ensemble

[SantaCruzOM]

Thanks for posting the lyrics...I'm off to play some Norman Blake tunes tonight!!!

[mandosandradios]

Green Light on the Southern

Standing on the sidetrack at the south end of town,

On a dry, hot, dusty August day, the steam pipe blowing down,

The fireman with his long oilcan oiling the old valve gear,

Waiting for the fast mail train the semiphore to clear.

The engineer in the old high cab, his gold watch in his hand,

Looking at the waterglass and letting down the sand,

Rolling out on the old main line, taking up the slack,

Gone today but, so they say, tomorrow he'll be back.

[mandosandradios]

Chorus:

Oh, if I could return to those boyhood days of mine,

And that green light on the Southern, Southern Railroad Line.

Creeping down the rusty rails, the weed-grown branch line,

Section houses gray and white by the yard limit sign,

The hoggers call the old highball, no more time to waste,

Heading done to Birmingham with a ten-car local freight.

[mandosandradios]

The whistle screams with a hiss of steam, the headlight gleams clear,

The drivers roll, the green and go is getting mighty near,

Handing up the orders to engine crew on time,

It's the Alabama Great Southern, AGS, Railroad line.

[acousticspectrum]

My all-time favorite Norman Blake original. Norman is great! What a picker.