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about

The Pop Mythologist runs the amazing website, popmythology.com, a compendium of popular and geek culture. A few years ago, he joined FAWM as a listener and discovered he had a knack for writing lyrics. In early February, he watched a documentary about the underground and was moved to write a spiritual in the style of Underground Railroad hymns. Then things got interesting. As of this writing, over 8 musicians have set these lyrics to music. There are hard rock versions, acoustic versions, acapella versions. I felt that the best I had to add to these lyrics was to do a campfire solo country version. I invented an imaginary radio show for the imaginary Lonesome Cowboy and crafted an imaginary but possible musicological history for this tune. Then I set it on the prairies with a crackling fire, crickets and coyotes.

lyrics

The Road is So Long, Lord
Lyrics by The Pop Mythologist
Music (c) Sean McGaughey February 22, 2017

A thousand miles
A hundred nights
I’ve been walking
North star in my sight
Wondering when
I’ll reach the end
Of this road
This long and lonely road

The road is so long, Lord
The road is so long
The night is so dark, Lord
The night is so dark
Please lead me home, Lord
One way or the other
Please lead me home

I tell myself
That I’ll soon be free
In the Promised Land
That you promised to me
But I’m so tired, Lord
That I only want
To come home to you
Y-e-e-e-s, to you

The road is so long, Lord
The road is so long
The ground is so cold, Lord
The ground is so cold
Please lead me home, Lord
One way or the other
Please lead me home

Last night I dreamt
Of a ladder so high
Ol’ Jacob’s Ladder
Leading up to the sky
I tried to climb it
You pulled it away
My heart was broken, Lord
Yes, so broken

The road is so long, Lord
The road is so long
My feet are so tired, Lord
My feet are so tired
Please lead me home, Lord
One way or the other
Please lead me home

If I lied down now
In this cold deep river
Would you let me in
into heaven forever
Or would you make my soul
Wander forever
On this road
This long and lonely road

The road is so long, Lord
The road is so long
When will I be free, Lord
When will I be free
Please lead me home, Lord
One way or the other
Please lead me home

credits

from Guitars, Ukuleles, etc​.​.​., released February 28, 2017
Lyrics by The Pop Mythologist
Music (c) Sean McGaughey February 22, 2017

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Sean McGaughey image

Sean McGaughey Ontario

I am a folk singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and children's entertainer in Simcoe County Ontario. By day, I am a mild-mannered Elementary School teacher-librarian.

Since 2013, I have been participating the the February Album Writing Month Challenge at fawm.org to write 14 songs in February.

This year I challenged myself to up my musicianship and production values. This is the result. ... more

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