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Odetta with Stephen Alcorn; Bread & Roses Cultural Project For The Arts; New York City; March 21, 2005
Photo by Sabina Alcorn İ2005



Ode To Odetta

Words and music by Stephen Alcorn İ2008

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea
Back to the Garden whence we came
Back to the spring of your sweet refrain
"All the way to freedom land...
All the way to freedom land"
Across the skies and back through time
Back to the cradle of humankind

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

Sheıs a force of nature, second to none
Earth, wind and fire rolled into one
Rolling thunder across the sky
Sweet Black Angel from on high
Mighty river crisscrossin' our land
Inviting everyone to stand hand-in-hand
To gather 'round and sing a song
Of hope and redemption--it wonıt be long

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

You can trace her song to the heart of the South
One New Yearıs Eve and the cry from a mouth
Of a big baby girl, strong and sweet
To a tear of joy on a Mamaıs cheek
Whatıs in a name? Father Time do tell
So her folks made sure to choose a name well
The name Odetta, once akin to melody,
Foretold a future--a destiny

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

Odetta, she could sing before she could talk
Odetta, she could dance before she could walk
The gift of music flows through her veins
And bursts at the seams like a runaway train
Classically trained right from the start
Along came the music that stole her heart
Music of the people, music of the land
Pure and simple--noble and grand

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

Straight from the "Bam" she moved out to L.A.
Then it was on to the 'Frisco Bay
She joined a theater, and started to sing
Then picked up a guitar and let it ring
Her Fate was sealed when she was still young
A folk musician she would become
To souls of the past sheıd lend her voice
May their spirits arise--and may they rejoice

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

With an Afro like a halo, she could be seen
All decked out like an African Queen
And just about the time she was being discovered
The glory of her people was recovered
People flocked in to catch the new sound
As it traveled by train from town to town
Guided by a spirit that beamed a light
Black Is Beautiful--Right Is Might

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

Arriving in the Village, she was given the keys
And greeted with bows on bended knees
Within weeks she was proclaimed
The Queen of Folk, and to this day she remains
The Mother Hen of folk musicians
The guardian angel of a sacred tradition
Casting her spell both day and night
Bridging the gap between black and white

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

One fine hour back in '63
Odetta sang her famous Freedom Trilogy
By her side stood Martin Luther King
His "I Have A Dream" speech about to take wing
And to the whole world she sang with pride
Of freedom sought and freedom denied
As centuries of trials, troubles and tribulations
Gave rise to the dream of a... United Nation!

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea

Oh Odetta, sing for me
Take me across that deep blue sea
Back to the Garden whence we came
Back to the spring of your sweet refrain
"All the way to freedom land...
All the way to freedom land"
Across the skies and back through time
Back to the cradle of Humankind
...Humankind
...Humankind

And before Iıll be a slave
Iıll be buried in my grave



ODE TO ODETTA demo

Recorded live on July 15th, 2006 in the studio of Stephen Alcorn using one
powered microphone in preparation for a mult-track studio recording.

Stephen Alcorn: guitar and vocal
Ferrilyn Sourdiffe: 2nd vocal, percussion and vocal harmonies
Gwendolyn Hall: vocal harmonies
Shantia Mayer: vocal harmonies

For demo purposes only.  All rights reserved



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