Country

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Please welcome Maestro Luke Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra in "One Voice: The Songs We Share".

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ FRAZIER: Welcome to "One Voice: The Songs We Share".

I'm Luke Frazier, the Founder and Music Director of the American Pops Orchestra and we are so glad you could join us for the celebration of country music.

Where better to celebrate country music than in my home state, the great state of West Virginia.

When I was growing up, I heard country music in church, on the radio, at county fairs, and everywhere in between.

And I couldn't be more proud to show off this great state that I love.

And now let's welcome our host who most recently headlined the Grand Old Opry, Leslie Jordan.

JORDAN: Well, thank you Luke.

I'm so excited to be here with you and the American Pops Orchestra.

The "One Voice" series celebrates classic music we all know and love through dynamic performances by guest artists from recording studios and Broadway stages.

Many great country songs come from a mixture of old traditions and this one has its roots in African American culture, church music, and even some Caribbean calypso.

It's called, "Working on a Building".

♪ GROUP: I'm workin' on a building, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm a workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Please welcome, Leslie Jordan.

♪ JORDAN: If I was a liar I tell you what I'd do.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I think I'd quit my lying and work on a building too.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GROUP: I'm workin' on a building, ♪ ♪ I'm a workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building, ♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ Oh, listen to little Dave on the banjo.

All the way from New Jersey.

♪ HOWARD: Well, if I was a drunkard ♪ ♪ I tell you what I'd do.

♪ ♪ It'd be hard but I'd try to quit drinkin' ♪ ♪ and work on a building too.

♪ ♪ GROUP: I'm workin' on a building, ♪ ♪ I'm a workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building, ♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ (strings solo).

♪ JORDAN: If I's a hunker downer, ♪ ♪ I tell you what I'd do.

♪ ♪ Honey, I'd hunker right on down, ♪ ♪ get to work on a building too.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building, ♪ ♪ I'm a workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building, ♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ I'm fixin' to twirl.

HOWARD: Twirl then!

Twirl!

WOMAN: Woo!

Twirl baby!

♪ ♪ ♪ GROUP: Well, if I.

♪ ♪ If I.

♪ ♪ If I was a judger.

♪ ♪ I tell you what I'd do.

♪ JORDAN: What'd you do?

♪ GROUP: I'd dare to quit my judgin' ♪ ♪ and a work on a building too!

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building, ♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building.

♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building, ♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building.

♪ ♪ It's a holy ghost building, ♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪ ♪ I'm workin' on a building ♪ ♪ For my Lord, for my Lord.

♪♪ JORDAN: Yes, Lord!

MAN: That was nice.

JORDAN: You bet your sweet by-and-by it was!

Scottish and Irish people brought their musical traditions to the Appalachians and not just songs, but their unique dance traditions as well.

Nic Gareiss joins Jake Blount with "Minstrel Man" words by Langston Hughes and music by Josh Thomas.

(banjo solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ GAREISS: Because my mouth is wide with laughter.

♪ ♪ And my throat is deep with song.

♪ ♪ You do not think I suffer after.

♪ ♪ I have held my pain so long?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Because my mouth is wide with laughter.

♪ ♪ You do not hear my inner cry?

♪ ♪ Because my feet are gay with dancing.

♪ ♪ You do not know I die?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Because my mouth is wide with laughter.

♪ ♪ And my throat is deep with song.

♪ ♪ You do not think I suffer after.

♪ ♪ I have held my pain so long?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ JORDAN: Many country songs tell the story of a good woman done wrong, none better than this classic made famous by the Carter Family almost 100 years ago.

To give "Wildwood Flower" new life, please welcome singer-songwriter and recording artist Senora May.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MAY: Oh I will twine, ♪ ♪ I will mingle my raven black hair.

♪ ♪ With the roses so red and the lilies so fair.

♪ ♪ GROUP: And the myrtle so bright with the emerald hue.

♪ ♪ The pale amanita and the hyssop so blue.

♪ ♪ MAY: I will dance, I will sing, ♪ ♪ and my laugh shall be gay.

♪ ♪ I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway.

♪ ♪ GROUP: When I woke from my dreaming, ♪ my idols were clay.

♪ All portions of loving had all flown away.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MAY: Well he taught me to love him ♪ ♪ and promised to love.

♪ ♪ And to cherish me over all others above.

♪ ♪ GROUP: My poor heart is now wondering ♪ ♪ no misery can tell.

♪ ♪ He's left me no warning, ♪ ♪ no words of farewell.

♪ ♪ MAY: Well he told to love him ♪ ♪ and called me his flower.

♪ ♪ That was blooming to cheer him ♪ ♪ through life's dreary hour.

♪ ♪ GROUP: How I like to see him regret ♪ ♪ the dark hour.

♪ ♪ He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower.

♪♪ JORDAN: Who doesn't love Dolly Parton and for good reason, her music has changed the world and her good deeds have brought us together.

I hope you'll enjoy this campfire rendition of "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind."

♪ GROUP: Oh, sometimes I go walking through fields ♪ ♪ where we walked.

♪ ♪ Long ago in the sweet "used to be".

♪ ♪ And the flowers still grow, ♪ ♪ but they don't smell as sweet.

♪ ♪ As they did when you picked them for me.

♪ ♪ And when I think of you and the love we once knew.

♪ ♪ How I wish we could go back in time.

♪ ♪ Do you ever think back on old mem'ries like that?

♪ ♪ Or do I ever cross your mind?

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Bop-ba-dop-ba-ba-da-da, da da.

♪ ♪ Oh how often I wish.

♪ ♪ That again I could kiss.

♪ ♪ Your sweet lips like I did long ago.

♪ ♪ And how often I long, for those two loving arms.

♪ ♪ That once held me so gentle and close.

♪ ♪ And when I think of you.

♪ ♪ And the love we once knew.

♪ ♪ How I wish we could go back in time.

♪ ♪ Do you ever think back?

♪ ♪ On old mem'ries like that.

♪ ♪ Or do I ever cross your mind.

♪ ♪ WILLIS: When old memories appear.

♪ ♪ My eyes won't stay clear.

♪ ♪ GROUP: When I think on those happier times.

♪ ♪ Do you ever recall those old mem'ries at all?

♪ ♪ Or do I ever cross your mind?

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Bop-ba-dop-ba-ba-da-da, da da.

♪ WILLIS: Yeah.

♪ GROUP: Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ Oo, oo, oo, oo.

♪ ♪ WILLIS: Oh, do I ever ♪ ♪ do I ever, do I ever ♪ ♪ Oo, oo ♪ ♪ GROUP: Bop-ba-dop-ba-ba-da-da, da da.

♪ ♪ Do I ever, ever cross your mind?

♪♪ JORDAN: Country legend Johnny Cash took this poem by humorist Shel Silverstein and turned it into an iconic ballad.

Please welcome Broadway star Claybourne Elder to tell the story of a "Boy Named Sue".

♪ ELDER: Well my daddy left home when I was three.

♪ ♪ And he didn't leave much to ma and me.

♪ ♪ Except this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.

♪ ♪ Now I don't blame him cause he run and hid.

♪ ♪ But the meanest thing that he ever did was before he left.

♪ ♪ He went and named me "Sue."

♪ ♪ Well, he must have thought that it was quite a joke.

♪ ♪ And it got a lot of laughs from a lot of folks.

♪ ♪ It seems I had to fight my whole life through.

♪ ♪ Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red.

♪ ♪ Some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head, ♪ ♪ I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

♪ ♪ Well I grew up quick and I grew up mean.

♪ ♪ My fist got hard and my wits got keen.

♪ ♪ I roamed from town to town to hide my shame.

♪ ♪ But I made me a vow to the moon and stars.

♪ ♪ That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars.

♪ ♪ And kill that man that gave me that awful name.

♪ ♪ Well it was Gatlinburg in mid-July.

♪ ♪ And I had just hit town and my throat was dry.

♪ ♪ I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.

♪ ♪ At an old saloon on a street of mud.

♪ ♪ There at a table, dealing stud.

♪ ♪ Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue."

♪ ♪ Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad.

♪ ♪ From a worn-out picture that my ma had had.

♪ ♪ And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.

♪ ♪ He was big and bent and grey and old.

♪ ♪ And I looked at him and my blood ran cold.

♪ ♪ And I said: "My name is Sue, how do you do?

♪ ♪ Now you're gonna die!"

♪ ♪ Yeah, that's what I told him.

♪ ♪ Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes.

♪ ♪ And he went down, but to my surprise.

♪ ♪ He came up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.

♪ ♪ But I busted a chair right across his teeth.

♪ ♪ And we crashed through the wall and into the street.

♪ ♪ Just kicking and a-gouging in the mud ♪ ♪ and the blood and the beer.

♪ ♪ Now I'll tell you I've fought tougher men.

♪ ♪ But I really can't remember when.

♪ ♪ He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.

♪ ♪ And I heard him laughin' and then him cussin'.

♪ ♪ He went for his gun but I pulled mine first.

♪ ♪ And he stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.

♪ ♪ And he said, "Son, this world is rough.

♪ ♪ And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough.

♪ ♪ And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along.

♪ ♪ So I give you that name and I said goodbye.

♪ ♪ I knew you'd have to get tough or die.

♪ ♪ And it's that name that helped to make you strong.

♪ ♪ Yeah, he said you just fought one helluva fight.

♪ ♪ And I know you hate me and you got the right.

♪ ♪ To kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if you do.

♪ ♪ But you ought to thank me before I die.

♪ ♪ For the gravel in your guts and the spit in your eye.

♪ ♪ Because I'm the son-of-a-gun that named you Sue.

♪ ♪ What could I do?

♪ ♪ Well what could I do huh?

♪ ♪ I got all choked up and I threw down my gun.

♪ ♪ I called him my pa and he called me his son.

♪ ♪ And I come away with a different point of view.

♪ ♪ And I think about him, every now and then.

♪ ♪ Every time I try, every time I win.

♪ ♪ And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him, ♪ ♪ Bill or Bo, or George, anything but Sue.

♪ ♪ I still hate that name!

♪ ♪ Yeah.

♪♪ JORDAN: Written by one of Australia's most famous aboriginal country singers Bob Randall, "Brown Skinned Baby" tells a heartbreaking story of a stolen generation.

Here with his fiddle, please welcome acclaimed bluegrass recording artist Jake Blount.

♪ BLOUNT: Woo-hoo!

♪ ♪ Goodbye my little love ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Some of these days, at yo gate, ♪ ♪ I go home, whiskey straight.

♪ ♪ Brown old house, quiet as a mouse.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Woo-hoo.

Goodbye my little love.

♪ Ooo.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Some of these days, I lay down, ♪ ♪ hang your straw, all night long.

♪ ♪ Freeze to death, Lord, Lord.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Woo-hoo!

♪ ♪ Goodbye my little love.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Woo-hoo!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ My man, papa, told me, ♪ ♪ told me, go on boy, county farm, ♪ ♪ be your own, Lord, Lord.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hoo!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ JORDAN: Joining me again, I'm pleased to welcome my friend Travis Howard and members of the American Pops Orchestra and these terrific singers as we wrap up "One Voice: Country".

♪ JORDAN: Hey, hey, good lookin', ♪ ♪ what cha got cookin'?

♪ ♪ How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

♪ ♪ GROUP: Hey good lookin'!

♪ ♪ JORDAN: Hey, sweet baby, don't you think maybe?

♪ ♪ We find us a brand new recipe?

♪ ♪ GROUP: A new fangled recipe.

♪ ♪ JORDAN: I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill.

♪ ♪ And I know a spot right over the hill.

♪ ♪ There's soda pop and the dancin's free.

♪ ♪ So if you wanna have fun, come along with me.

♪ ♪ I say, hey, good lookin'.

♪ ♪ GROUP: Who's he talkin' to?

♪ ♪ JORDAN: What cha got cookin'?

♪ ♪ GROUP: What does he wanna do?

♪ ♪ JORDAN: How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

♪ ♪ GROUP: Wah-wah-wah-wah.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill.

♪ ♪ And I know a spot right over the hill.

♪ ♪ There's also soda pop and the dancin's free.

♪ ♪ So if you wanna have some fun come along with me.

♪ ♪ JORDAN: Hey, good lookin', what cha got cookin'?

♪ ♪ How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

♪ ♪ HOWARD: I'm free and ready, hey we can go steady.

♪ ♪ How about savin' all your time for me?

♪ ♪ Well no more lookin', I know I've been took-en.

♪ ♪ How's about keepin' steady company?

♪ ♪ GROUP: Company with me.

♪ ♪ JORDAN: I'm gonna throw my datebook over the fence ♪ ♪ And find me one for five or ten cents.

♪ ♪ I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age.

♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm writin' your name down on every page.

♪ ♪ Hey, good lookin', what cha got cookin'?

♪ ♪ GROUP: How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

♪♪ Whoo, that was a good'n!

FRAZIER: We hope you've enjoyed "One Voice" with the American Pops Orchestra and thank you to our host Leslie Jordan and all the other incredible artists who brought this show to life.

JORDAN: Thank you for having me.

Remember to check out the other episodes in our "One Voice" series here on PBS.

Thank you for taking the time to enjoy "The songs we share."

(music plays through credits)