When the Holler Gets Quiet by Bubba Patrick

[Intro - soft harmonica and fingerpicked guitar]

[Verse 1 - Bubba, male baritone]
Coffee's cooling on the railing,
Daylight's finding every tree.
Trigger's sleeping by the screen door,
Nothing needs a word from me.
I've been hauling round tomorrow
Like a sack of river stones;
This morning I can set it down
And let the Lord be Lord.

[Verse 2 - Darlene, female alto]
I don't need a pretty sentence,
I don't need to make a speech.
There's a chair beside the window
And a peace I cannot preach.
So I bring this tired old wanting,
All the things I cannot mend;
With my hands laid open gently,
I can start to listen again.

[Chorus - male and female harmony]
When the holler gets quiet,
And the last word settles down,
I can hear the creek beyond the road,
Feel my feet upon the ground.
Lord, I'm here with empty hands,
You don't need a grand display;
When the holler gets quiet,
I can let You lead the day.

[Verse 3 - Bubba]
There's a truck out on the highway,
There's a blue jay raising Cain.
I don't have to hush the whole wide world
To sit with You again.
Let that old clock keep on ticking,
Let the screen door catch the breeze;
I can leave the world a-turning
Without turning every key.

[Verse 4 - Darlene]
Here comes yesterday's old argument,
Here comes next week's unpaid bill;
They can knock upon the window,
I don't have to chase them still.
If I wander down that old road,
I can notice where I've gone;
Then come back without a scolding,
Like a child who's welcome home.

[Chorus - duet]
When the holler gets quiet,
And the last word settles down,
I can hear the creek beyond the road,
Feel my feet upon the ground.
Lord, I'm here with empty hands,
You don't need a grand display;
When the holler gets quiet,
I can let You lead the day.

[Bridge - alternating male and female]
[Bubba]
I have tried to pull the sunrise
Up before its time to shine.
[Darlene]
I have held a fist so tightly,
Called that little kingdom mine.
[Bubba]
Now the morning finds me breathing,
[Darlene]
With no bargain left to bring.
[Duet]
There's a world beyond my worrying,
And a love beyond my strings.

[Instrumental - tender harmonica, piano and pedal steel]

[Verse 5 - Bubba]
When the dishes all are finished,
When the porch light paints the rail,
I'll lay down the day's unfinished
Without calling it a failure.
[Darlene]
There'll be time to take the next step
When the next step comes in view;
Tonight this little house is resting,
And I'm resting here with You.

[Final chorus - warm duet harmony]
When the holler gets quiet,
And the last word settles down,
I can hear the creek beyond the road,
Feel my feet upon the ground.
Lord, I'm here with empty hands,
At the closing of the day;
When the holler gets quiet,
I can let You have Your way.

[Outro - Darlene then Bubba]
A chair, a breath, an open heart,
A porch light on the hill.
[Duet softly]
I don't have to hold tomorrow.
I can sit a little still.

2898/7500

[Intro - soft harmonica and fingerpicked guitar] [Verse 1 - Bubba, male baritone] Coffee's cooling on the railing, Daylight's finding every tree. Trigger's sleeping by the screen door, Nothing needs a word from me. I've been hauling round tomorrow Like a sack of river stones; This morning I can set it down And let the Lord be Lord. [Verse 2 - Darlene, female alto] I don't need a pretty sentence, I don't need to make a speech. There's a chair beside the window And a peace I cannot preach. So I bring this tired old wanting, All the things I cannot mend; With my hands laid open gently, I can start to listen again. [Chorus - male and female harmony] When the holler gets quiet, And the last word settles down, I can hear the creek beyond the road, Feel my feet upon the ground. Lord, I'm here with empty hands, You don't need a grand display; When the holler gets quiet, I can let You lead the day. [Verse 3 - Bubba] There's a truck out on the highway, There's a blue jay raising Cain. I don't have to hush the whole wide world To sit with You again. Let that old clock keep on ticking, Let the screen door catch the breeze; I can leave the world a-turning Without turning every key. [Verse 4 - Darlene] Here comes yesterday's old argument, Here comes next week's unpaid bill; They can knock upon the window, I don't have to chase them still. If I wander down that old road, I can notice where I've gone; Then come back without a scolding, Like a child who's welcome home. [Chorus - duet] When the holler gets quiet, And the last word settles down, I can hear the creek beyond the road, Feel my feet upon the ground. Lord, I'm here with empty hands, You don't need a grand display; When the holler gets quiet, I can let You lead the day. [Bridge - alternating male and female] [Bubba] I have tried to pull the sunrise Up before its time to shine. [Darlene] I have held a fist so tightly, Called that little kingdom mine. [Bubba] Now the morning finds me breathing, [Darlene] With no bargain left to bring. [Duet] There's a world beyond my worrying, And a love beyond my strings. [Instrumental - tender harmonica, piano and pedal steel] [Verse 5 - Bubba] When the dishes all are finished, When the porch light paints the rail, I'll lay down the day's unfinished Without calling it a failure. [Darlene] There'll be time to take the next step When the next step comes in view; Tonight this little house is resting, And I'm resting here with You. [Final chorus - warm duet harmony] When the holler gets quiet, And the last word settles down, I can hear the creek beyond the road, Feel my feet upon the ground. Lord, I'm here with empty hands, At the closing of the day; When the holler gets quiet, I can let You have Your way. [Outro - Darlene then Bubba] A chair, a breath, an open heart, A porch light on the hill. [Duet softly] I don't have to hold tomorrow. I can sit a little still.

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