Print | Close | Home
Song Name: Stonewall Jackson's Way By: Tennessee Ernie Ford
Posted By: pcguyiv Difficulty: Any
Key: Any Genre: General
Harp Type: Diatonic
Created: 2013-10-21 23:27:20 Modified: 2013-10-21 23:27:20


Song:

Verse 1:

 5      4    4     5    6   7   7    7
Come, stack arms, men! Pile on the rails,

 6   -6 -6   6    5     -4
Stir up the camp-fire bright;

5   4  4  5   6   7  7     7
No matter if the canteen fails,

  6    -6  6  5  -4    4
We'll make a roaring night.

 7   -6 -6 -6 7   6    6 6
Here Shenandoah brawls along,


  7   -7 -7  -6   -7    7 6      6
There burly Blue Ridge echoes strong,

7   -6   -6   -6 -6 7   6  6    6
To swell the brigade's rousing song


7    -7   -7   -6  -7    7
Of "Stonewall Jackson's way."

Verse 2:
We see him now, the old slouched hat

Cocked o'er his eye askew;
The shrewd, dry smile, the speech so pat,
So calm, so blunt, so true.
The "Blue-Light Elder" knows 'em well;
Says he, "That's Banks, he's fond of shell;
Lord save his soul! we'll give him hell,
That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."

Verse 3:
Silence! ground arms! kneel all! caps off!

Old "Blue Light's" going to pray.
Strangle the fool that dares to scoff!
Attention! it's his way.
Appealing from his native sod,
"Hear us, hear us Almighty God,
Lay bare Thine arm; stretch forth Thy rod!"
That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."

Verse 4*:
He's in the saddle now. Fall in!

Steady! the whole brigade!
Hill's at the ford cut off; we'll win
His way out, ball and blade!
What matter if our shoes are worn?
What matter if our feet are torn?
"Quick-step! we're with him before morn!"
That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."

Verse 5*:
The sun's bright lances rout the mists

Of morning, and, by George!
Here's Longstreet struggling in the lists,
Hemmed in an ugly gorge.
Pope and his Yankees, whipped before,
"Bayonets and grape!" hear Stonewall roar;
"Charge, Stuart! Pay off Ashby's score!"
In "Stonewall Jackson's way."

Verse 6:
Ah! Maiden, wait and watch and yearn

For news of Stonewall's band!
Ah! Widow, read, with eyes that burn,
That ring upon thy hand.
Ah! Wife, sew on, pray on, hope on;
Thy life shall not be all forlorn;
The foe had better ne'er been born
That gets in "Stonewall's way."

(* Extra verses are from the poem.  If memory serves, the version sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford leaves out verses 4 & 5.)