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Two in a Garden

by Becky & Nicole

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1.
Heaven and Earth by the Lord were created, Sun and the moon and the stars so elated, Two in a garden, a beautifully mated Pair in a Paradise, bare there were they. [chorus] Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Pair in a Paradise, bare there were they. Fruit-bearing trees in that garden were planted, Nothing was lacking, no nothing was scanted; Perfect for two, a completely enchanted Pair in a paradise, bare there were they. Of all the fruit growing there they'd partaken Saving for one that the Lord had forbade them Lest they be a-dying, that man and maiden, Pair in a paradise, bare there were they. Then in the garden there spoke an advisor: "Why doth thou listen to all of these lies for? Eat," said the serpent, "to be but the wiser." Pair in a paradise, bare there were they. Satan the serpent was oh so deceiving. Eve though his cunning was led to believing; Ate, as did Adam, soon to be a-grieving, Pair in a paradise, bare there were they. Hiding in shame at a growing awareness There of their nakedness, there of their bareness, Clothed by the Lord, then, a sadly embarrassed Pair in a paradise, bare there were they. Satan in Eden then had his beginning, Sought with the lie o'er the Lord to be winning, Death brought instead to the world through a sinning Pair in a paradise, bare there were they.
2.
Watercress-O 04:01
At five o'clock on a Sunday neet, There's a man comes walkin' down our street, You can hear him out in front of the row, Crying, “Tuppence a basket, watercress-o!” Watercress-o, watercress-o, Crying, “tuppence a basket, watercress-o!” Oh, come on, mam, it's time for tea, Go and get tuppence and give it to me That I may go out in front of the row And fetch a little basket of watercress-o, Watercress-o, watercress-o, And fetch a little basket of watercress-o. Kid, you don't know what you're asking of me, If I had tuppence, I'd surely give it thee, So you may go out in front of the row, And fetch a little basket of watercress-o, Watercress-o, watercress-o, And fetch a little basket of watercress-o. Our dad's on strike, kid, can't you see? He scarce brings home enough to feed us wi', And though it pains me to tell you “no”, You'll have to do without your watercress-o, Watercress-o, watercress-o, You'll have to do without your watercress-o. We're all in the union down our street, And maybe he'll come back another week, For until the strike is over, he might as well know, He'll not sell much of his watercress-o, Watercress-o, watercress-o, He'll not sell much of his watercress-o.
3.
Give me wings in the morning, so that I can fly Give me wings in the morning, so that I can fly Give me wings so I can rise above this poor sorry world Give me wings, give me wings, give me wings Been in the storm so long Been in the storm so long Oh lord, give me more time to pray [chorus] And I will meet you in the city of the new Jerusalem I am washed in the blood of the Lamb I will meet you in the city of the new Jerusalem I am washed in the blood of the Lamb Jerusalem, my happy home, O how I long for thee! When will my sorrows have an end, Thy joys when shall I see? Thy walls are built of precious stone, So wond'rous to behold; Thy gates are set with shining pearls, Thy streets are paved with gold. Come down, come down, thine arms of grace, And cause me to ascend. Where congregations ne'er break up, And praises never end.
4.
Come, come with me out to the old churchyard, I well know those paths 'neath the soft green sward. Friends slumber in there that we want to regard; We will trace out the names in the old churchyard. Mourn not for them, their trials are o'er, And why weep for those who will weep no more? For sweet is that sleep, though cold and hard Their pillows may be in the old churchyard. I know that it's vain when our friends depart To breathe kind words to a broken heart; And I know that the joy of life is marred When we follow lost friends to the old churchyard. But were I at rest 'neath yonder tree, Oh, why would you weep, my friends, for me? I'm so weary, so wayworn, why would you retard The peace I seek in the old churchyard? Why weep for me, for I'm anxious to go To that haven of rest where no tears ever flow; And I fear not to enter that dark lonely tomb Where our saviour has lain an' he conquered the gloom. I rest in the hope that one bright day Sunshine will burst through these prisons of clay, And old Gabriel's trumpet and the voice of the Lord Will wake up the dead in the old churchyard.
5.
You better watch out for The eggplant that ate Chicago For he may eat your city too You better watch out for The eggplant that ate Chicago If he's still hungry The whole country's doomed He came from outer space Looking for something to eat He landed in Chicago He thought Chicago was a treat It was sweet It was just like sugar You better watch out for The eggplant that ate Chicago For he may eat your city too (Wackadoo, wackadoo, wackadoo) You better watch out for The eggplant that ate Chicago If he's still hungry The whole country's doomed (Draw the curtains) If he's still hungry The whole country's doomed
6.
Shaking like a leaf on a tree That's coming loose from its stem Shaking like a leaf on a tree Because I've come loose from my man Oh, like a weeping willow Crying on my pillow For years and years There ain't no sweet man Worth the salt of my tears Down and down he dragged me Like a fiend he nagged me For years and years There ain't no sweet man Worth the salt of my tears I may be low Still I know I must tell him goodbye Rather than have that man See me lay down and die So brokenhearted sisters, Aggravated misters Lend me your ears There ain't no sweet man Worth the salt of my tears
7.
Now in the Bible, so I've read, God spoke to Abraham and thus He said, "Before three days are past and gone, You must sacrifice Isaac, your beloved son." [chorus] Don't despair, there's a ram in the thicket, God is there, there's a ram in the thicket, He hears your prayer, there's a ram in the thicket, There's a ram in the thicket by the grace of God Next mornng Abraham did depart With a grieving soul and an aching heart He took young Isaac by the hand But he didn't tell his son about his God's command "Father, for this sacrifice I see the fire and I see the knife But where's the ram?" young Isaac cried, "Oh, my son, God will provide" Abraham, he bound his son, And laid him down upon the altar stone He raised the knife to do God's command But God called, "Abraham, stay thy hand" Abraham freed the son he loved He proved his faith in his God above And if your faith is strong and true There's a ram in the thicket will be waiting for you
8.
Down in the land of Galilee Down by the sea that's so deep My lord came down, he said unto me, "Go and feed my sheep." [chorus] Don't you wanna be a shepherd for the good God Almighty, for the good God Almighty, for the good God Almighty, Don't you wanna be a shepherd for the good God Almighty, Don't you wanna go to Heaven when you die? Now Jesus was the son of God He died upon that cruel cross He died for you, he died for me That we might not be lost.
9.
Lower Lights 03:00
Brightly shines the hope of harbors Where our journeys shall be o'er But, for now, we have the keeping Of the lights along the shore [chorus] Let the lower lights be burning Send a gleam across the wave There’s a lonesome, struggling sailor You may rescue, you may save Dark the night has come and settled Loud the angry billows roar Eager eyes are watching, longing For the lights along the shore Trim your glowing lamps, my dear ones Some sweet sailor, tempest-tossed Trying now to reach the harbor In the darkness may be lost Stand your watches now, my shipmates Rise and turn the glass once more Soon will come the day whose dawning Greets the lights upon the shore
10.
Boast Ye Not 03:00
Former friends, O, how I’ve sought them! Just to cheer my drooping mind; But they’re gone like leaves in autumn, Driv’n before a dreary wind. [chorus] Boast ye not of tomorrow Boast ye not of tomorrow Boast ye not of tomorrow For thou knowest not what the day may bring Spring and summer, fall and winter, Each in swift succession roll, So my friends in death do enter, Bringing sadness to my soul. Hollow winds around me roaring, Noisy waters round me rise, Whilst I sit my fate deploring, Tears fast streaming from my eyes. When a few more years are wasted, When a few more scenes are o’er, When a few more griefs are tasted, I shall fall to rise no more.
11.
Witch Hazel 04:20
[chorus] I am looking at a witch hazel blooming in a garden Bright yellow flowers in the middle of wintertime And I tell heart be strong like the witch hazel flower And you will not be injured by this dark and troubled time. I take myself along to a place I know in winter And I look at that south sloping bank covered with ice And I tell my heart it all will melt and run down to the ocean And you will not be injured by this dark and troubled time. We must say good-bye to the ones we love, we must say good-bye to many And we must say good-bye, in way too short a time, So I tell my heart be strong like the witch hazel flower And you will not be injured by this dark and troubled time.
12.
Long hast thou wept and sorrowed Poor mourner, dry thy tears Behold, with light and comfort, The God of love appears. [chorus] There's balm in Gilead To cure a sin-sick soul There's balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole The storm may roar about you, Your heart may low be laid; but God is ever near you, and can you be dismayed? The seed, before it flourish, Must low in darkness lie And love, to live forever, Must for a season die. Green pastures are before you, which yet you have not seen; bright skies will soon be o'er you, where darkest clouds have been. For soon the day is coming; The darkness shall be gone; And o'er the night of weeping A brighter day shall dawn.
13.
I have travelled far from this island strand From the icy waste to the burning sand Ploughed the raging sea, seen the verdant land Been at home in a place far away [chorus] So goodnight my friends, as the dawn comes pale And the eastern wind brings the threat of gales Keep a hold on hope through the darkest vale And we'll meet further on down the road Many differences but much the same Though the ways are strange and have different names But a friendly face breaks a thousand chains And a smile breaks the lock on the door We have joined in song, laughed the night away Swapped our tales of woe, kept the clouds at bay In the morning clear we'll be on our way But we'll meet further on down the road So let's drink a health to good times gone by When our spirits soared and we touched the sky And we'll bid farewell but not goodbye And we'll meet further on down the road
14.
Dry Bones 01:55
Old Enoch lived to be Three-hundred and sixty-five And then the lord came And took him up to heaven alive [chorus] I saw, I saw the light come shining Shining all around I saw the light come shining I saw the light come down Paul bound in prison And the prison walls fell down And then the prison keeper shouted Redeeming love I've found Moses saw that burning bush And he walked it 'round and 'round And then the lord said, "Moses You're treading on holy ground" Eve in the garden Beneath that sycamore tree And then Eve said, "Adam Old Satan is a-tempting me" Dry bones in the valley Got up and took a little walk And then the rich could hear And the poor in the valley could talk
15.
Across the bridge where angels dwell Across the bridge where angels Across the bridge where angels dwell Children play [chorus] Close your eyes in fields of wonder Close your eyes and dream Close your eyes in fields of wonder Close your eyes and dream Beyond the place where time is still Beyond the place where time is Beyond the place where time is still Night is day Beyond the place where heaven lies Beyond the place where heaven Beyond the place where heaven lies All is clear

credits

released September 1, 2021

Nicole Singer and Becky Wright sing on all tracks
Arthur Davis sings on tracks 2, 11, 13, and 15
Nicole plays guitar on track 6

Recorded and mixed by Garrett Sawyer at Northfire Recording Studio, Amherst, MA
Mastered by Charlie Pilzer at Tonal Park, Takoma Park, MD
Photography and graphic design by Lorelei Erisis

©2021 Nicole Singer and Becky Wright. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of all applicable laws.

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Becky & Nicole Northampton, Massachusetts

With Becky’s background in shapenote music and Nicole’s in sea chanteys and maritime music, Becky & Nicole sing a wide variety of traditional and trad-adjacent songs with haunting harmonies, beautiful poetry, and fun choruses that get everyone singing. They began singing together at Swarthmore College over a decade ago and have been dear friends, music partners, and roadtrip buddies ever since. ... more

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