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lyrics

I Knew A Girl
By Kathleen Dunbar
Copyrighted by Kathleen Dunbar

I knew a girl who was a dove
I knew a girl who was a bird
I knew her with a broken wing
I tell this story from her word
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
girl, don’t give your sweetness away

young moon, a hoop of gold
quick your dance both sweet and bold
light your laugh, soft your hair
your daddy saw you opened there
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
girl, he stole your sweetness away

your family took their livin from
dirty cards and whiskey runs
when their debt they could not pay
one night they sold their child away
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
god could hear no prayer girl you say

wild men with gold and guns
found your body for their fun
used you like your pa had done
where you learned that love begun
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
girl, we make our livin where we lay

there was a girl who was a dove
there was a girl who was a bird
I found her with a broken wing
I found her with a broken word
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
if we run there’ll be hell to pay

time went on a yellow moon
your chi-ild would be talking soon
family doubled in her face
sweetest pain and troubled grace

sickness comes
no one can hide
in cold of dawn
your child died
I held you close
when you cried
for your
sister daughter shame and pride
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
angels took your baby away

we took the drug that offered balm
rough the water, sweet the calm
I could not follow where you went
on the day your life you spent
hie la, hie la, hie la—hey
gave the ground your body today

there was a girl who was a dove
there was a girl who was a bird
I could not mend her broken wing
I tried but I could find no word
just hie-la hie-la hie-la hey
girrrrrrrrrl, in my heart all lo-ove-broke you stay

credits

from Liars, Cutthroats and Dames, released August 4, 2017
Kathleen Dunbar/songwriting, vocals. Gawain Mathews/banjo and guitars. MJ Lee./fiddle.

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all rights reserved

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Kathleen Dunbar San Francisco, California

You may notice my songs are about angels and devils, birth, life, death, about creation and crumbling destruction—the troubles we humans get ourselves into and the choices we make—some of them funky, some of them ending in the dark, others rising into the light of morning. Touching, humorous, spellbinding storytelling—my songs brings you into the irony, the tragedy, and the possibilities of life. ... more

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