The Blue & Grey

[Pine]

Seems like many of you are familiar with the Ken Burns documentaries. They are all so educational, entertaining, and well done. This song was inspired after watching (for the second time) the series on the American Civil War.

630,000 Americans died in the Civil War. 1861-1865. More than both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam combined.

Taylor GS Mini acoustic, Squire jazz bass, Casio keyboard, and Gretsch "Boxcar" resonator

The Blue & Grey
          w/m by Pine

Rollin' hoops with a hickory stick down on depot street
A crowd had gathered up ahead to hear the Mayor speak
Said the south had just seceded and the country was at war
Brave men could sign up down at Murphy's store

Chorus: Oh the Blue and the Grey went to war that day
                Neither side would compromise wanted it their way
                 Oh the Yankees and the Rebels both would dearly pay
                 In the war between the states, the war of the Blue and Grey

Brother Ben was older, he was first in line
Said he was proud to go and fight, told Mother he'd be fine
He went off in '61 come home in '63
Couldn't fight when he lost his sight and a leg above the knee

Chorus

Instramental verse

Chorus

Some towns were burned to ashes, so many people died
Young Mother's were now widows, they just sat and cried
At the Appomattox Courthouse, the Union had their say
And the war was finally over, for the Blue and the Grey

Chorus

[Ray Brookes]

Probably the most tragic 4 years in American history nicely presented in this cool country song. Lovely production and vocal skills; nice guitar work too.

[T.C. Elliott]

Lovely country feel to a tragic episode in U.S. history. The instrumental verse was appealing and well placed. I like the arrangement, too.

[StephenM]

Pine, so glad you are back to making music again.... and possibly this song will only be heard by a thousand people or less...but it's really big, about a really big event that all of us needs to think about again and again... the facts, the reasons, the stories, the lessons....so we don't go back there.... good job... yes...those documentaries are fantastic..

[Redler]

Well written, performed and produced!

I'm glad too that you're back!! Always when hearing your music, it takes me back to the early era of this site:)

[Greeny]

I love this kind of deep Americana, which is also what The Band were trying to capture. A kind of return to the roots of everything. A dark, dark moment in history, but there's something really compelling in both your storytelling and performance. And it feels so timely too. Must be the resonator that gives a banjo flavour - love the whole sound of this though. Fantastic stuff.

[maxit]

Dear Pine, this song is so good that one with your name plus a r, missing right in 2020 would have been proud of.
I feel the country arrangement underline the subtle difference between the going to a picnic attitude and the great tragedy that was going to be. This makes this song really dramatic and ironic the same time, other than is really really well written.

[Ferryman_1957]

Brilliant work Pine, great sounds, great feel and wonderful performance. You really captured that Americana feel so well, and the lyrics are great.

I watched the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War last year during first lockdown, a really good series. Sadly the scars from that conflict are still evident in the US today.

[chapperz66]

Great Americana song Pine.  The contrast between the jolly tune and the human tragedy just adds to the importance of this song.

I have several of the Ken Burns series on DVD box sets and have a few of the books too.  I'm a bit of a history enthusiast.

Just as an aside, my wife has done a fair bit of research on her family tree.  Many of her forebears were mill workers in Manchester at the time of the American Civil War.  Little more than slaves themselves, it is believed that they suffered badly at that time due to the shortage of cotton and therefore lack of work.

Paul

[Farrell Jackson]

Well played, sung and presented Pine! Your Americana style and lyrics tells the sad story of our Civil War. It was a dark time when brothers fought brothers but the divided USA immerged with resilience and optimism. Well done on all accounts buddy!

Farrell