From the recordings Florida LISTEN FREE NOW! Note the new pricing on downloads of individual tracks and on the full record. and Sister Mary - Free Download
Sister Mary - © 2018 Jim Bickerstaff
Terry Feller – Drums
Bob Wray – Bass
Clayton Ivey - Wurlitzer Piano
Pat Severs – Acoustic Guitar
Johnny B – Dobro
Donny Carpenter – Fiddle
Jim Bickerstaff – Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
I first met Margaret Longhill in the early days of WillFest, before we called it that I think. The first two I attended were at two different venues in Dunnellon, and the following year, she moved it to Sertoma. Jim Billie invited me to play with him at the festival, and like everyone who ever came within range of Margaret's magnetic field, I assumed an orbit and became a thread in the tapestry she wove. Margaret had a sizable influence on everyone she met as well as on people who have no idea who she was. She was a purposeful woman and a good soul. I will never forget Sister Mary.
Lyrics
Sister Mary © J Bickerstaff 2018
V
Long before the Spanish brought salvation to the sand
Long before the sugarcane invaded sovereign land
Long before the highways and the buildings over there
Long before the poison in the water and the air
Sister Mary dreamed about a time that used to be when the whole world lived as one
She set about to make those memories live forevermore in a song of old Florida
V
(Now) History is written by the ones with an upper hand
Often told to justify the wickedness of man
But truth will keep forever in a million planted seeds
Until the time arrives when they sprout and grow like weeds
Sister Mary beckons all the flowers in the field to gather for the Native son
Then they blow like Dandelions scattered to the wind singing songs of old Florida
Bridge
What used to be is gone forever, time don’t go back where it’s been
But as we step into tomorrow, are we going to let this happen once again?
V
A thunderstorm comes rumbling through 'bout this time every day
Longer than ten-thousand years it’s probably been that way
Floods and raging hurricanes have come and they have gone
And nothing any man could do will keep away the dawn
Sister Mary sits alone looking out the window just to watch the river run
She hums an old familiar tune and slowly fades away into a song of old Florida