Blind Wallace Mountain

[Ray Brookes]

The civil war was perhaps the darkest time in American history. I wrote this song trying to present a perspective of the conflict from a Confederate soldier.

She lives in a cabin on Blind Wallace Mountain
Where the white winter snow can blacken the sky
Been a thousand days and I'm still counting
Since I saw my true love wave a teary goodbye

This war is so bitter and nothing is sacred
The land torn apart with kin against kin
The Blues are so strong and so full of hatred
If they could kill us all once they'd want to kill us again

The Yankees charged hard and we all but scattered
A turkey shoot; my brothers shot down
Cannon smoke chokes me; my uniform tattered
The officers gone south; the men gone to ground.

My lady waits for me on Blind Wallace Mountain
A smile in her eyes and a flower in her hair
I'm so tired of fighting and so tired of counting
The days when I return to my true lady fair

[Bluesberry]

Really beautiful song....love the harmonica...all of it really

[WarpCanada]

I really like this one. The melody is wistful and beautiful and sad, and I think you really caught the mood. It feels like it could have been written 50 or 100 years ago, too, which I think is a great thing in a song.

[TPB]

Man you have been on a roll lately outstanding lyrics and outstanding playing Bravo Brother
Bow Down brother
Tim

[Greeny]

Already onto my 3rd listen. It's a stunner. Deep, deep Americana roots and tradition like The Band tried to capture. Beautifully understated and full of goodness. Everything is poised just right, but your vocal is the real star here. Not sure if that's a real banjo, but I love it.

[Hilary]

Beautiful - chock-full of Rayness.

[BerryPatch]

Stellar man. Your mixes are always absolutely perfect and the performances are always top notch. Love the melody in this one and the lyrics are written so well. You just have this pastoral quality to your music that's just so inviting. Love to hear it

[StephenM]

human tragedy caused by a human condition.... I doubt we'll ever get over it... love your singing Ray and playing ....it's made me cry because what it's about... and the cause of it all... I wish we could all just figure out how to get along..without all the power and control trips...

[Nelson]

Perfection
The arrangement, your musicianship, your vocal performance, the touching lyrics... Perfection

[Pine]

You're not a miner but you hit gold here Ray. Man i thought this was just beautiful. The lyrics are excellent
"She lives in a cabin on Blind Wallace Mountain
Where the white winter snow can blacken the sky"
Your vocal delivery just rings with sincerity and puts the listener deep into the song. The arrangement is perfect and i liked the touch of strings. The tone of your acoustic is sweet and it all adds up to a really solid, well written and recorded song. Bravo!