"The Code Of The Mountains", originally popularised by Tennessee Ernie Ford has been given the Slim Dime treatment. A murder ballad that talks about the code, the unwritten law in the Mountains: a code amongst thieves and rabbleraisers. From The Album, "Travelogue" - 13 songs, captured by an awesome collection of vintage microphones. The songs are new, original but sound as though they’ve always existed, somewhere on a mountaintop…………
Slim Dime are Jen Land – vocals & tenor guitar & Chris Taylor – vocals & guitar & banjo.
lyrics
The Code Of Mountains
There’s a code of the mountains, way down in the backwoods
There’s a code of the mountains, and an unwritten law
There Harry and Joe Brown, way down in the backwoods
There Harry and Joe Brown, shot Charlie McGraw
They caught him at daybreak, way down in the backwoods
They caught him at daybreak, down on his knees
He pleaded for mercy, way down in the backwoods
He pleaded for mercy, but they heard not their pleas
Said Harry to Charlie, way down in the backwoods
Said Harry to Charlie, you thought you were sly
But the code of the mountains, way down in the backwoods
The code of the mountains, says you must die
He loaded his rifle, way in the backwoods
He loaded his rifle, Joe loaded up too
One shot and another, way down in the backwoods
One shot and another, and then it was through
They buried poor Charlie, way down in the backwoods
They buried poor Charlie, without any prayer
The code of the mountains, way down in the backwoods
The code of the mountains, is the only law there
Deep in the earth now, down in the backwoods
Deep in the earth now, lies Charlie McGraw
For the code of the mountains, way down in the backwoods
The code of the mountains is the unwritten law
credits
from Travelogue,
released April 26, 2016
Recorded live by Matt Walker & Rowan Matthews at their Stovepipe Studios, Produced by Matt Walker & mastered at Deluxe Mastering by Adam Dempsey.
“this is music for the literate Hillbilly” – CD Baby
Slim Dime are an acoustic duo
featuring old-time mountain sounds, seamless harmonies and some mighty-fine pickin’.
They make music that sounds as though it’s always existed somewhere on a mountaintop.
Their material is both original songs and traditional songs made new. It’s music that makes you lean in and listen....more
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