• From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Topic: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

Still haven't found music for this but it takes me back to when my dad told me the story.

Ghost of the Mountain Mist
By Jeff Gilpin

Riding with my father
Back when I was young
Heading back Old Fort Mountain
The day was almost done

Crawling down the mountain
A solid bank of whiteness
Dad said not just any fog bank
It’s the ghost of the mountain mist

Comes out in the evening
The ghost of the mountain mist
Seeing is believing
The ghost of the mountain mist

See way back long ago
My dad explained
There was a moonshining mountain man
Worked a still up this way

Had a reputation
Best corn liquor to be had
Made himself a fortune
Until it all went bad

The sheriff of the county
Aimed to shut him down
Went hunting for the still
In the mountains just out of town

The mountain man got wind
From those who bought his liquor
Didn’t want to loose
His fortune making elixir

So he built other fires
To try and hide his smoke
Fanned it all around
Was when the mist awoke

Comes out in the evening
The ghost of the mountain mist
Seeing is believing
The ghost of the mountain mist

Mist and smoke it hid him
That moon shinning man
But also hid a drop off
On the way back to his camp

He didn’t see it coming
Fell long and far below
Sheriff heard the scream
Come sorrowful and slow

The sheriff found the still
Chopped it up to bits
Went back down the mountain
Hoping to forget

That scream he heard while searching
For that still that misty night
He swore he always heard it
When err that mist came into sight

Comes out in the evening
The ghost of the mountain mist
Seeing is believing
The ghost of the mountain mist

So dad had surely spooked me
With the story that had told
He then rolled down his window
Even though the night was cold

Said, Son if you just listen close
On this misty night
You might hear that scream too
And give yourself a fright

Comes out in the evening
The ghost of the mountain mist
Seeing is believing
The ghost of the mountain mist

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website

  • From: Belfast
  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 330

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

This is good Jets, there's a good old fashioned song in there.

It reminded me of the Brocken Spectre - http://www.touchingthelight.co.uk/featu … cken.shtml .

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there." Miles Davis

StranSongs's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

Yuppers... good story, good song in there.  It reminds me of the story my dad used to tell while we were driving along between Buffalo and Albany... the story of the Indian named Falling Rocks (signs along the way "Watch out for falling rocks" where they had cut through the rocky hills to make way for the highway).  Good ole stories deserve to be turned into some type of folk song!  Good job Jets!!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

Yeah, it reminds me of purple heather mountains as a child
in the west of Ireland.

There were always wisps of smoke rising on them hills." Oh ! Its only someone burning turf" they'd say with a big broad grin when id ask.

As i got older i realized it was Poteen making stills.  There there to this day in most places with better technology lol

Lovely memorable piece Jets.

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,695

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

hi jeff,

i see you cant find a tune, well hows about this, played in a fulsom prison blues rhythm...



Chordpro error: This is not a valid artistname. You will have to specify an artistname in the form {st: Artistname} in the beginning of the code.



ps. great story well told

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

  • KAP54
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: London Ontario Canada
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,746

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

This is a really, really, really good story Jeff big_smile
Ya gotta put this to music, it's too good to let it get away on ya. I hear a haunting Bluegrass style with some spooking slide guitar as the main instrument, light banjo and stand up bass.

I'm getting chills just thinking about it. smile

Write on Bro

Kenny

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)

7 Reply by jets60 (edited by jets60 2010-06-29 22:28:33)

  • From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Re: Ghost of the Mountain Mist

Put it to music...give it a check out in songwriting...thanks for the push. smile

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website