Chet Nichols

Chet Nichols

Waving Prairie (from "Live" CD, "Black & White)

Song Description

This comes from the "Live" CD, "Black & White" recorded back on 9/11/71 in Kansas City, MO at Cowtown Ballroom. It is the only surviving recording of Chet playing performing "live" The album showcases his varied songwriting, vocals, guitar work, piano playing and harmonica performances. It is a raw, gritty analog recording with all kinds of peaks and valleys, but the music and lyrics always shine through. Enjoy!

Song Length 6:15 Genre Folk - Americana, Folk - Alternative
Tempo Medium Fast (131 - 150) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Peaceful Subject Earth, Prairie, Plains
Similar Artists Joni Mitchell, Neil Young Language English
Era 1970 - 1979

Lyrics

"Waving Prairie"
Lyrics and Music by Chet Nichols
Copyright by Chet Nichols (ASCAP) & Magic Garage Music (ASCAP)
http://www.chetnicholsmusic.com * chet@chetnichols.net
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Off on the waving prairie
The road that brings me home
Is the same road that takes me away
We should all hitchhike once in a while
The feel the need of depending
And to walk the lowly mile
Get caught in a heavy thunderstorm
On the waving prairie

Rebuild the city
Regroup the old stones
Forget the crumbled citadel
And bury all the bones
I?m here and now
Not trying to grow old too soon
I?m gaps that need repair
And I need some wind
Lord, I need some wind
I need some wind to flow
I need some wind to flow
I need some wind to flow
To the waving prairie

You can ride I?d rather walk
Try to keep my pace
This sea of land it takes me in
You?d walk if you weren?t in the race
Live and work and try to be free
Do you listen with your mouth
Or do you use your ears?
Live and work and try to be free
Do you listen from without
Or do you use within?
And bear yourself to a stranger
Live and work
And bear yourself to a stranger
Try to be free
And bear yourself to a stranger
Live and work
And bear yourself from future danger

My fingers are the columns that are braced against the sky
My fingers are the music played from my crystal spy
My fingers play the music that makes you laugh and makes you high
My fingers are the mourning of the Ohio six who died
My fingers are the columns that guide and testify
My fingers are the vehicle that get me around
To the waving prairie
Off on the waving prairie
The road that brings me home
Is the same road that takes me away

Truly Americana, this live recording done in alternative tuning is a good showcase of an authentic artist who has found his audience. (That's a really big audience clapping out there). I really enjoyed the guitar playing and the stream of consciousness writing. Probably disqualifies it from "commercial" but still cool to listen to. It's a great road song.

enjoyable tune. good production balance. liked a live version.
good instrumentation.

This song has great vocals. The guitar playing is really good too. The song had a lot of emotion. The lyrics were great!!!

Very Nice song!Reminds me of Stephen Stills. I am going to check out this artist for sure

like the authentic live performance, well done considering it is "live"! lovely vocal man. reminds me a bit of David Crosby, and in that era when intros and instrumental breaks were ok! like the lyrics and the pick up of pace later, lent to even more interest! well done obviously! this style is familiar to me, i may know who you are...hope so even if i'm wrong...

Love the sound of your voice. Nice stream of consciousness lyrics. Crowd pleaser

Good singer/sonwriter vibe. Unique voca ith great inflections.

Kind of a CS&N vibe. It's obviously a live recording and nicely recorded.

nice folky groove, nice lyrics....'i'd rather walk' sums it up

got a joni mitchel feel to it... reminds me of cactus tree a bit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3Xv4JhiFo

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL--THANXS--JOE------i wouldn't change a thing!

Lyrics Chet Nichols Music Chet Nichols
Producer Chet Nichols & Stephen Barncard Publisher Chet Nichols (ASCAP) & Magic Garage (ASCAP)
Performance Chet Nichols Label Magic Garage Records

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Passage to Pleiades (Acoustic Version)
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Time For Leaving (Full)
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The Secrets Of Life (Single)
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