Dead Queen and the River was reportedly formed in 1953, near Franklin (Tennessee/USA). A mystery surrounds how the members vanished after their very first gig, leaving no trace, and no one has heard of them since ... They simply disappeared.
The band reappeared in Eastern Europe at the end of the 2000s and recorded several songs with the renowned brass band Dejan Lazarevic Orkestar. Rumour has it that the encounter took place during a concert in Požega, a small provincial town in Serbia. The two bands delivered a stunning performance where, for the first time, Dead Queen's folk and country music merged with Balkan folklore.
Then, just as mysteriously, they vanished again, only to recently resurface in the south of France.
And that’s all we know for now ...
Here and There
From the shores of Montenegro to the shores of Louisiana
The same people live and die
Without a penny in their hands.
From the streets of old Belgrade to the streets of New Orleans
People have their own disasters
But they all have the same dreams.
We all sing, we all dance to the sound of a banjo
We all shout, we all cry to the gypsy brass
We pretend that we all stand in the same row
But we all fight, we resist and we sing to the roaring bass.
From the docks of Baton Rouge to the docks of Novi Sad
The same people sweat their souls off
Expecting things to become bad.
From the clubs of Lafayette street to the clubs of Kalemegdan
The same people drown in Bourbon
To forget their lack of chance.
We all sing, we all dance to the sound of a banjo
We all shout, we all cry to the gypsy brass
We pretend that we all stand in the same row
But we all fight, we resist and we sing to the roaring bass.
From the fields of the Mississippi to my Grandpa's crumbling house
The same people gather cattle
Same folks on a different ground.
From the place where I was born to my sunny south of France
I see always the same people
The same stories on different lands.
We all sing, we all dance to the sound of a banjo
We all shout, we all cry to the gypsy brass
We pretend that we all stand in the same row
But we all fight, we resist and we sing to the roaring bass.
Johnny Randall
Johnny went on a very long journey
Mama said you gotta earn some money
I'm old now and you're a grown boy
Now that I've taught all I know
You gotta learn and you gotta go
Pack your things now you're on your own
But mama please I'm just sixteen
Here's the only place I've ever been
How can you ask me to leave home
The world is tough and the world is mean
And I need your shoulder to lean
To lean my head on
Go, go Johnny go
You're on your own
You gotta learn to be a man
There's so much to know
Just leave and roam
Lift your head up and don't you look back
Johnny sadly packed his bags
His dad's guitar his dirty rags
Hugged his mother and kissed her goodbye
Mama I will be back soon
I'll count the days I'll count the moons
I promise I won't ever cry or whine
Listen Johnny to what I say
Be careful and don't go astray
Be a good boy and make your mama proud
Travel all across the land
Across the mighty seas and through foreign grounds
Breathe deep and sing your song aloud
Go, go Johnny go
You're on your own
You gotta learn to be a man
There's so much to know
Just leave and roam
Lift your head up and don't you look back
By the age of twenty three
A girl said you're so good to me
He thought then he became a man
But he was wrong and he knew that
His journey was not over yet
He has to move on while he can
On the road with his pack again
With his old guitar as his only friend
He saw things he only dreamt to see
A dark sea and a river of gold
Where a dead queen still lives he was told
He saw things he's only dreamt to see
Go, go Johnny go
You're on your own
You gotta learn to be a man
There's so much to know
Just leave and roam
Lift your head up and don't you look back
A few years passed for Johnny to
See the world and have a fight or two
And also to find his true love
She said Johnny marry me
He had no choice but to agree
And thank his angels above
He knew then it was the time
To go home and tell his Mom
All the great things that he had done
But when he passed the old house door
His mama wasn't there no more
But he knew she would have been proud
No, no Johnny no
You don't need to go
Anymore this is your land
You saw the world and roamed
Now you're back home and you know you are a man
(Now you're back home and you know that you became a man)
Simple Song
You rock my heart and my soul, it's true
When the lights are out, when you roll
Your hips and move the way you do
It drives me insane, I want more. And there you go
You, I think of every single day
You make the nights bright when you're home
The day we met, you made me whole. More than you know
Woman, you sure know how to put a spell over
A man. How to keep him in the reach of
Your hands. How to give him what he (really) wants, what he needs.
Oh do it please.
When it happens that we don't agree
We talk and we just sort it out
And sometimes when you shout at me
There's nothing to be worried 'bout. I let it slide.
When you need my arms to comfort you
I am always here by your side
I will be always walking by. Right by your side.
Woman, you sure know how to put a spell over
A man. How to keep him in the reach of
Your hands. How to give him what he (really) wants, what he needs.
Oh do it please.
Get Lost
Get lost. What you said to me
Get lost. Oh boy can't you see that I am better off alone
Get lost. Get away from me
Get lost. You won't ever be the kind of guy that can have my love
Susie was a few years older
She walked the streets like no other
With a glance hotter that fire
She had that really special smile
She danced 'til the break of dawn
She was the queen of the floor
But she always danced alone
The cutest girl I saw in a while
Get lost. What you said to me
Get lost. Oh boy can't you see that I am better off alone
Get lost. Get away from me
Get lost. You won't ever be the kind of guy that can have my love
Susie hanged a lot in bars
Drinking whiskey from the jar
Smoking like old-time movie stars
But I knew it was all a role
When she was talking, all the guys
Couldn't get away their eyes
Wearing the same stupid smile
And I was so tiny in my hole
Get lost. What you said to me
Get lost. Oh boy can't you see that I am better off alone
Get lost. Get away from me
Get lost. You won't ever be the kind of guy that can have my love
I had to find the proper way
To find something to say
Before it is too late
Before she leaves with another guy
I made my move and went to her
To that very special girl
Got too close I got burned
She laughed at me and I felt I could cry
Get lost. What you said to me
Get lost. Oh boy can't you see that I am better off alone
Get lost. Get away from me
Get lost. You won't ever be the kind of guy that can have my love
The Port
When I looked west at the ships in the harbour
I asked my friend Paul to do me a favour
"Turn your wheel now and drive me the other way"
So many years of unloading some crates
And there is nothing to gain
I've spent my whole life in some cargo hold
I've damaged my health, I sure ruined my life
I've lost the good things I had
No, I did not find salvation on the port
I know what the docks think, I know how they kill me
I know the ships have a soul
I know how they suck mine just to feed their own
Drunken sailors and oily water and dirty harbour and broken dockers
Here comes another boat and another boat (x4)… and another…
(Farewell) Rainy summer morning
When I saw you there sitting by the phone
Knowing perfectly well she will never call
You were there waiting on a ghost.
You were hopelessly sitting all alone
In your old dark suit staring at the door
Like she was (standing) there in the foggy dawn.
Could someone help this lonely soul ?
“James, take these flowers, we should go”
We left early through the cold morning rain
Thinking of how it was, how it felt back then
Followed by the sorrow and the pain.
And the countryside never looked so sad
And the morning air never smelled that bad
(Such) a perfect day to say goodbye
Nothing will ever be the same
“James you are really not to blame”
All the friends were there standing by the gates
Having the same sad look on their faces
Nobody knew what they should say.
And what could they do and what could they say
There were no words that could heal the pain
Slowly we all walked towards the grave
And the rain falling on our hands
Turned the dust in some muddy ground
And when the wind started to blow
James threw the flowers on the floor
The witch and the widow
There’s a witch and there’s a widow
There’s a black and skinny cat
Heavy curtains on the window
A woman with a velvet hat
There are potions on the table
A deck of cards and amulets
Thirteen candles on the cupboard
The strangest people I have ever met
I need something to bring my lady
I need something to bring her back
Use your pins or use your needles
Your hoodoo tricks
She left me, I miss her bad
andtheriver {at} gmail.com