I am enjoying my discovery of new Americana talent and the list of songwriters and performers that I admire is growing. Imagine my delight to encounter the voice and music of the Grammy nominated Adrienne Young performing a song with Nashville (and personal) icon, Will Kimbrough. This song is so genuine, so memory-filled, so upbeat, that I felt I had to post the lyrics today. I transcribed the song from my iTunes download, so if I missed any of the lyrics, please let me know. rickeyp@bayou.com

Adrienne Young’s site is here. Just as a teaser to pique your interest, her site says this about her: “You could not conceive of a less likely strategy for winning pop media attention — still, that’s exactly what Young achieved, from a Grammy nomination (most unusual for a debut indie release) to national radio exposure (via NPR) to numerous “best of” lists, including a “Best Country Single of the Year” citation from the Nashville Scene, third place in the Amazon.com list of “best folk recordings of the year,” and benediction from the Los Angeles Times as “the Americana find of the year.”

You can learn more about Will Kimbrough here at his website.

“Plow to the End of the Row”
by Adrienne Young and Will Kimbrough

Wake up in the morning in the moonlight grey
We got dirt to break, we got a note to pay
Gonna plow, plow to the end of the row
I’m gonna wake up in the morning and plow to the end of the row

Down to the kitchen with my feet still bare,
Children to the table, Papa say a prayer
Gonna plow, plow to the end of the row
Down to the kitchen, got to plow to the end of the row

Cornbread for breakfast, won’t ya boil the grinds
Got to cut the furrow ‘fore the sun gets high
I’m gonna plow, plow to the end of the row
Cornbread for breakfast and I plow to the end of the row

Sun just broke out over the trees
I got a aching in my back and a tremblin’ in my knes
If the mule won’t pull then the plow won’t go
If the seed don’t set, then the crop won’t grow

Chickens to the market, seven miles to town
Gotta make it home ‘fore the sun goes down
Big storm coming, I can see it in the sky
Hope it don’t rain ‘fore the clothes get dry

I got rocks in my shoes, dirt in my eyes
Working like a dog till the day I die
You got to plow, plow to the end of the row
I got rocks in my shoes when I plow to the end of the row
My baby’s waitin’ for me at the end of the day
She likes to ball the jack in the sweetest way
I’m gonna plow, plow to the end of the row
My baby’s waiting’ for me so I plow to the end of the row

Wake up in the mornin’ in the moonlight grey
We got dirt to break we got a note to pay
I’m gonna plow, plow to the end of the row
I’m gonna wake up in the mornin’ and plow to the end of the row