Topic: "Lillyroo" a frontier ballad
Here is a story in song - sort of epic in length, but I wanted to tell sort of a different frontier tale.
Usually frontier stories are all about a cowboy riding through town and changing lives (sort of like the movie 'Shane'). However, in this song the main character is a young girl who pauses in her journey west toward Hollywood and her presence causes quite a stir in a little town.
LillyrooJames McCormick, July 1, 2007
In 6/8 time, a frontier ballad
Some [G]guys just got goofy [C]when she was near, Some [G]guys just got quiet and [D]froze.
Some [G]guys would strut and be-[C]have like a nut, Some [D]guys would just [C]look at their [G]toes.
Her [C]figure inspired, her [G]posture required the [C]once-over twice to be-[D]hold. . . .
Her [G]smile bedazzled, her [C]hair never frazzled, And her [D]voice was [C]like liquid [G]gold.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]proud and tall, [F]Lilly-[C]roo, my [G]queen.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, de-[G]termined to make it [F]Onto the [D]silver [G]screen.
I was [G]working dad's truck stop, [C]pumping that gas, [G]Washing those windshields [D]too.
That [G]dusty old town was [C]strangling me, I dreamed [D]where that [C]highway led [G]to.
That hor-[C]izon was flat and [G]far and wide, My [C]life was somewhere be-[D]yond. . . .
But [G]I lacked the gumption, the [C]utter presumption, To cut [D]loose and [C]break family [G]bonds.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]charming and bold. [F]Lilly-[C]roo, my [G]friend.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]chasing that dream, [F]Out where the [D]highway [G]ends.
[G]Business was good, [C]Dad did repairs, [G]Mom ran the motel ca-[D]fe.
Our [G]days were long but we [C]did pretty good, A [D]proud prairie [C]fami-[G]ly.
That [C]Trailways Bus stopped [G]twice every week, For [C]passengers, meals and [D]fuel. . . .
That [G]driver talked funny, but he [C]had lots of money, Always [D]sat in the [C]very same [G]stool.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, in-[G]trepid and fierce.[F]Lilly-[C]roo, all a-[G]lone.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]never did talk, a-[F]bout her [D]people back [G]home.
The [G]wind blew her dress like a [C]bright signal flag, As she [G]stepped off that bus, purse in [D]hand.
The [G]money she saved had [C]bought her a ticket, Just [D]halfway to [C]Hollywood-[G]land.
She [C]fetched a suitcase from up [G]under the bus, Then [C]twirled to go on in-[D]side. . . .
But her [G]case popped open, like a [C]rodeo gate, And that [D]wind blew her [C]stuff far and [G]wide.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]graceful and kind, [F]Lilly-[C]roo, just a [G]kid.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]helping her out, Was the [F]best thing that [D]I ever [G]did.
I was [G]dodging that traffic and [C]chasing her clothes, As they [G]fluttered like birds in the [D]dust.
I was [G]risking my life to [C]chase down her things, But a [D]guy's got to [C]do what he [G]must.
Like [C]soft sacred relics ca-[G]ressing my hands, Like [C]gossamer veils for a [D]shrine. . . .
Like a [G]cowboy hero I [C]chased down those strays, imagi-[D]nation [C]goin' double [G]time
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]vulnerable.[F]Lilly-[C]roo, in the [G]dust.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]tender and tough, She was [F]someone [D]I could [G]trust.
[G]Folks were just staring as she [C]walked in the diner, [G]conversation went [D]dead.
She [G]smiled a just a little, sur-[C]veying the scene, then [D]forged [C]right on a-[G]head.
She [C]walked to where Momma was [G]tending the till, and said, [C]"Ma'am I'm looking for [D]work." . . .
[G]Momma just smiled and [C]gave her an apron sayin', [D]"Honey, watch [C]out for the [G]jerks!"
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]slinging that hash.[F]Lilly-[C]roo, so [G]fine
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]raking those tips, Being [F]paid just [D]like triple [G]time.
The [G]church ladies oh they did [C]mutter and cluck, Specu-[G]lating about all her [D]sins.
The [G]feed store geezers and [C]tavern wheezers, Just [D]leered with [C]big stupid [G]grins.
She was a [C]local sensation the [G]talk of he town, al-[C]luring, exotic, and [D]bold. . . .
What a [G]glamorous stigma such a [C]great big enigma, so [D]hot yet [C]so very [G]cold.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]siren of myth, [F]Lilly-[C]roo so [G]cool
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]swaying those hips, [F]making those [D]yokels [G]drool
Her [G]hair was flowing like [C]bright northern lights when she [G]boarded that Trailways [D]bus.
We [G]stood there like family [C]seeing her off and [D]making a [C]big silly [G]fuss
For [C]forty-two days she [G]worked the cafe, a [C]goddess of posture and [D]poise. . . .
In the [G]time that I knew her, the [C]sky was much bluer, I stopped [D]thinking [C]like a [G]boy.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]tough as nails, [F]Lilly-[C]roo no [G]tears
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, in-[G]spiring me to [F]live be-[D]yond all my [G]fears
[G]"Thank you for everything! [C]Love, Lillyroo" was [G]all the postcard did [D]say
Momma [G]taped it up there be-[C]hind the till, it [D]hangs there [C]still to this [G]day
It was [C]soon after that I [G]took off myself, [C]destination un-[D]known. . . .
The [G]horizon was calling, the [C]stars were falling, the [D]highway [C]sang a sweet [G]song
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, wher-[G]ever you are, [F]Lilly-[C]roo my [G]friend
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]fierce and free [F]out where the [D]highway [G]ends
Some [G]guys just got goofy [C]when she was near, Some [G]guys just got quiet and [D]froze.
Some [G]guys would strut and be-[C]have like a nut, Some [D]guys would just [C]look at their [G]toes.
Her [C]figure inspired, her [G]posture required the [C]once-over twice to be-[D]hold. . . . .
Her [G]smile bedazzled, her [C]hair never frazzled, And her [D]voice was [C]like liquid [G]gold.
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, wher-[G]ever you are, [F]Lilly-[C]roo my [G]friend
[F]Lilly-[C]roo, [G]fierce and free [F]out where the [D]highway [G]ends
"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
