Story Behind The Song

based on the composer's real mother

Song Description

a story song about a country's woman's life in Tennessee from about 1900

Lyrics

THE STORY OF IDA VANOLA (copyright 1997) Words and Music by Daniel Curzon 415-297-9220

FIRST CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--THAT WAS THE LADY'S NAME.
IDA VANOLA--WHAT A LIFE YOU OVERCAME.
IDA VANOLA--YOU NEVER, EVER HAD MUCH FAME.

VERSE #1:
SHE CAME FROM A FAMILY
OF WHAT WE USED TO JOKE WERE DUMB OL'
COUNTRY FOLK.
THIRTEEN KIDS WITH NO SHOES,
FOLKS WHO DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO LOSE:
BIG, OLD WOOD STOVE,
NO REFRIGERATOR,
JUST A STORAGE CELLAR.
(instrumental)

VERSE #2:
THEY LIVED IN BETWEEN THE HILLS,
WITH THEIR BILLYGOATS--AND FEVERS AND STREP
THROATS.
MOST OF THEM COULDN'T READ,
RUNNY-NOSED AND A FEW KNOCK-KNEED.
OSCAR, OTHAR, BEULAH, SOPHIE, REBA,
AND ONE OR TWO NAMED BURVEL.
(instrumental)

SECOND CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--UP FROM THE HOLLOW (HOLLER),
IDA VANOLA--YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW
(SWALLER).
YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW (SWALLER).

VERSE #3:
ONE TIME HER PEOPLE BOUGHT HER
UP AT VONDA'S PLACE A DOLL WITH A CHINA FACE.
THEY FELT IT BEST, ALL IN ALL,
TO HANG THAT BABYDOLL ON THE WALL--
MIGHT GET BROKEN.
ONCE A YEAR--HER BIRTHDAY--
SHE GOT TO HOLD THAT BABY.
(instrumental)

VERSE #4
AT SIXTEEN SHE LEFT HER HOME,
OFF TO ILLINOIS, HITCHED WITH A LOCAL BOY.
NINETY-NINE IN PRAIRIE KNIFE.
YET IT WAS A MOVE UP IN LIFE.
GOT UP MORNIN'S
COOKED FOR HUNGRY THRESHERS--
THEY LOVED HER CHILI BREAKFASTS.
(instrumental)

FIRST CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--THAT WAS THE LADY'S NAME.
IDA VANOLA--WHAT A LIFE YOU OVERCAME.
IDA VANOLA--YOU NEVER, EVER HAD MUCH FAME.

VERSE # 5: (a riff)
AND THERE SHE MARRIED SMILEY:
CROOKED LEG, A GOOD EGG, HER BIG PLAN, RICHEST
MAN.
GUILTY OF-- NOT MUCH LOVE. WAS THAT COLD? TRUTH BE TOLD,
NO ROLLS-ROYCE, NOT MUCH CHOICE, BVD'S, ANTIFREEZE, WAXIN' FLOORS, SMILEY'S SNORES, NICE NEW BRA, ET CETERA.
KATYDIDS, JELLY LIDS, HAVIN' KIDS, THREE WERE FINE, TWO IN PINE, BIG SNOW DRIFTS, LOTS OF IFS, SMILEY DRUNK WITH SOME PUNK:
"BE BACK BY TWELVE OR BEFORE, OR I'LL LOCK THE GODDAMNED DOOR."
BUT SMILEY--HE WAS LATE,
MAYBE HALF AN HOUR.
SO SHE LOCKED HIM OUT.
(instrumental)

SECOND CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--UP FROM THE HOLLOW (HOLLER),
IDA VANOLA--YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW
(SWALLER)
YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW (SWALLER).

VERSE #7:
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DRIVIN'
ON THAT OLD HIGHWAY OUT THERE BY BILL'S CAFE
IDA FELT A HEAVY HEART--
JUST THEN HEAVY RAIN WOULD START.
GREAT BIG MACK TRUCK
STALLED IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT.
BOTH MEN WERE BEHEADED.
(instrumental)

VERSE # 8:
YES, SHE HAD TO LIVE WITH THAT--
THOSE AWFUL TIRE SKIDS AS WELL AS HIS THREE KIDS.
SHE WAS BACK APRIL FOOL'S--
A RESTAURANT WITH JUST FOUR STOOLS.
MAKIN' CHILI,
SHE KEPT 'EM ALL A-EATIN'.
IDA WAS A FIGHTER.
(instrumental)

FIRST CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--THAT WAS THE LADY'S NAME.
IDA VANOLA--WHAT A LIFE YOU OVERCAME.
IDA VANOLA--YOU NEVER, EVER HAD MUCH FAME.

VERSE #9:
THEN IDA MET SOMEBODY,
A MAN WHO SOMETIMES FARMED, AND SOMETIMES EVEN CHARMED.
HENRY--HE WAS SORT OF SHY,
YET AS DECENT AS A PIECE OF PIE.
HAD THEIR YOUNGUN
UP THERE AT ST. OLAF'S,
BREECH BIRTH AND HARD LABOR.
(instrumental)

VERSE # 10: (a riff)
THOSE NEXT FEW YEARS WHIPPED ON BY:
HAVIN' FIGHTS, MAKIN' UP, HUMID NIGHTS, WAKIN' UP,
THUNDERSTORMS, FIREFLIES, HORNET SWARMS, TELLIN' LIES,
TELLING TRUTHS, MAKIN' BREW, MAKIN' DO, GETTIN'
HIGH,
GETTIN' BY, GETTING STYS, GETTIN' WISE, BILLS TO PAY, MOVIN' DAY, CITY LIFE, CITY STRIFE, CITY SNOBS, FACTORY JOBS,
SEP'RATE BEDS, SEP'RATE HEADS, CATCHIN' COLD AND GETTIN' OLD,
BEING BORED AND SHUFFLEBOARD, RELATIVES AND LAXATIVES.
AND THEN THE KIDS MOVED OUT--
JUST THE USUAL THINGS!
AND THEN HER HENRY DIED.
(instrumental)

SECOND CHORUS:
IDA VANOLA--UP FROM THE HOLLOW (HOLLER).
IDA VANOLA--YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW (SWALLER).
YOU HAD YOUR LIFE TO SWALLOW (SWALLER).

VERSE #11: