Panning for Gold

Most of my energy lately has been going into song lyrics rather than stories. As a result of asking for people to help with my stage musical project I’ve got to know a lot of folk singers and country singers, and this is one I wrote for Susan Fidler and her friends, all first class country music musicians. It’s a classic ‘traditional country’ number.

Vocals: Susan Fidler

Guitar & harmonica: Domagoj Magash
Violin: Ben Owen
Lyrics: David Gardiner

Panning for Gold

I don’t know how to tell my pa

I’m movin’ out this fall

I’ve only got one life to live,

This has to be my call

My dad came here to pan for gold

Ain’t never found a thing

The only gold my momma saw

Was in her wedding ring

This house was built by Pappy’s hands

Before the railroad came

Since working on that railroad

Pappy’s never been the same

A man needs dreams as well as bread

He always used to say

Those dreams that died with Momma

On the day she passed away

I know that I’ll be lonesome

in a city on my own

Seeing only stranger’s faces

After knowing every one.

But what’s there for a girl like me

In this here one-horse town?

I’ve got to live a little bit

Before I settle down.

I know I’ll miss my Pappy

And we both will shed a tear

He don’t deserve for me to go

I’d love to have him near

But life is out there waiting

And Pappy once was bold

When he packed his army knapsack

And went off to pan for gold