Stars Fell On Alabama
“We lived our little drama.
We kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night.
I can’t forget the glamour.
Your eyes held a tender light
And stars fell on Alabama last night.”
—Mitchell Parish & Frank Perkins, Stars Fell On Alabama, 1934.
The Little White Cloud That Cried
“He asked me if I’d tell all my world
Just how hard those little clouds try
That’s how I know I’ll always remember
The little white cloud that sat right down and cried.”
—Johnnie Ray, The Little White Cloud That Cried, 1951.
the Green Book
“Legend has it that it was written by the dark ones
Ikitome Nekanavious, roughly translated, the Green Book
The book served as a gateway to the distant realms of the mind
It was written long ago when the sun was the brightest of radiant green glow
It was this monsterous energy that was used to ink the book
In the year 1970 A.D. the book was believed to be destroyed
Or was it?!”
—Jamie Madrox (Twiztid), The Green Book, 2003.
Just like a silver dollar
“Just like a silver dollar goes from hand to hand
A woman goes from man to man.”
—Alfred Williams, A Man Without A Woman (Silver Dollar), 1907.
Ida Red
“Ida Red, Ida green, prettiest girl I ever seen
Ida Red, Ida blue, I got stuck on Ida too
Ida Red, Ida white, love her true’ I think I might
Ida Red, Ida pink, saw her in town, gave me a wink.”
—Ida Red, traditional, additions by Uncle Earl, 2005.
blue tail fly
“De poney run, he jump, an’ pitch,
An’ tumble massa in de ditch;
He died, an’ de jury wonder’d why,
De verdic was, de blue tail fly.”
—F.D. Benteen, Jim Crack Corn, or the Blue Tail Fly, 1846.
pink and black
“So come with me, to 1953
An’ we’ll bring back, all of our used-to-be’s
Yeah, pink and black, she’s comin back.”
—Terry Allen, The Pink and Black Song, 1995.
It’s All Over Now
“The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue.”
—Bob Dylan, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, 1965.
the fires of Hell a-glowing
“Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing?”
—Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, Wondrous Boat Ride, from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, 1971.
my coat of many colors
“Now I know we had no money
But I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me.”
—Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors, 1971.