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The Bells Of Saint Mary's

from One Night by Jim Ballard

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about

The Bell Tower at historic St. Mary's church south of downtown Akron, Ohio has been there for over a hundred years. Despite everything around it within sight of it changing throughout my life, the tower remains as a touchstone. Its good to have something that's always there

lyrics

The Bells Of Saint Mary's

Kickin' a can down Washington street
Stealin' my old man's smokes
Tryin' to steer clear of old Crazy Karl
So we don't have to laugh at his jokes

That ain't all that funny plus he'll take our money
And lose it all in some corner game
So we cut through the park past the tramps in the dark
Who ain't got a dime to their name

And the bells of st Mary's are ringing
like a mother's voice calling you home
And the bells of st Mary's are ringing.
Throw a stone Throw a stone

Now Billy and me wanted just to get free
from the corners and the cops and the kings
Who ran all the games Who knew all the names
Who seemed to own most everything

Except for the packs we had on our backs
And the medals that we tossed in a drawer
And when I returned with the stories I learned
Billy didn't come home no more


And the bells of st Mary's are ringing
like a mother's voice calling you home
And the bells of st Mary's are ringing.
Throw a stone Throw a stone

Kicking a can through the old neighborhood
Where Washington street used to be
Till the freeway came through cut the city in two
Split up ol' Billy and me
And now there's no takers to cross Hell's Half Acre
And breathe in that fire we all knew

So the silence is still from this campanile
Where the voices of angels rang true

And the bells of st Mary's are ringing
like a mother's voice calling you home
Yeh the bells of st Mary's are ringing.
Throw a stone Throw a stone

©Jim Ballard/HandMade Music 2020 All Rights Reserved

credits

from One Night, released December 2, 2020
Jim Ballard Vocals and Guitar
Wes McCraw Mandolin and Backing Vocals
Tim Longfellow Piano and Backing Vocals
Bill Watson Bass

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Jim Ballard Akron, Ohio

Jim Ballard
A native of NE Ohio, Jim Ballard has been, for many years a part of the recording/performing community. After touring and performing all over the country with artists from 10,000 Maniacs to Gordon Lightfoot,The Mekons to Pete Seeger, he moved into his studio, Skylyne. There, he has recorded and worked with artists from Michael Stanley to Don Dixon and Alex Bevan. ... more

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