Tom MacKenzie: Listen

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• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

My homage to Martin Carthy. All of the people were real but the circumstances may not be.

BIG JIM WAS THE SMALLEST MAN THAT EVER I MET
HE LEFT TRACKS OF ANGER AND WOE WHEREVER HE WENT
WITH A FIST BY HIS SIDE HIS RAGE HE DID RIDE
SUCH A SAD DISPLAY OF A SOUL WAS HE
BIG JIM WAS THE SMALLEST MAN THAT EVER I MET

BIG JIM WAS THE MEANEST MAN THAT EVER I KNEW
DOWN STREET ON A SATURDAY NIGHT SOMETHING TO PROVE
A SON HELD IN TOW TO THE TAVERN THEY GO
THEY WOULD ONLY DARE THE TIMID AND WEAK
BIG JIM WAS THE MEANEST MAN THAT EVER I KNEW

CALHOUN WAS A MAN OF RENOWN HONEST AND TRUE
ONE DAY HE STOPPED IN AT THE WHEEL JUST WANDERING THROUGH
BIG JIM NARROWED HIS EYES (HE HAD) TORMENT IN MIND
IT HE’D SEEN WHAT WAS COMING HE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT TWICE
CALHOUN WAS A MAN OF RENOWN HONEST AND TRUE

CALHOUN LEFT NO TIME IN HIS DAY TO SUFFER THE FOOL
BIG JIM HE CAME SWAGGERING BY FROM OFF OF HIS STOOL
WITH ONE MIGHTY BLOW TO THE FLOOR JIM DID GO
THOUGH HE ROSE AGAIN THE BLUSTER WAS GONE
CALHOUN LEFT NO TIME IN HIS DAY TO SUFFER THE FOOL

BIG JIM WAS A PITIFUL MAN BROKEN AND SPENT
BROUGHT DOWN FROM HIS MOUNTAIN OF PRIDE THE FOLLY OF MEN
IN THE SHADOWS HE DWELLS NO EXCUSE LEFT TO TELL
HE JUST FADED AWAY WITH NOTHING TO SHOW
BIG JIM WAS THE SMALLEST MAN THAT EVER I MET