The Golden String

The Golden String (Spoken intro) The shadow rode into California, lookin’ for a spark to steal. He was runnin’ late, he’d lost the game, and he was ready to make a deal. He found a girl with a fiddle, playin’ by the old creek side. Her hands were steady, her eyes were clear, and she would not run and hide. He said, “I’ve heard you play, girl, but I’m a fiddler too. Let’s make a wager, just for fun, I’ll show you somethin’ new. I’ll bet a crown of golden strings against the light you hold.” She said, “My father taught me how to play, and his story’s never told.” (Fiddle break — fast and fierce) Play it, girl, play it strong, the night is gettin’ cold. The valley’s full of shadows, but your heart is made of gold. The frequency is risin’, the old world’s growin’ dim. You are the golden string, and you will never bend to him. The shadow drew his bow across, the sound was cold and mean. The sky turned black, the wind blew hard, the darkest night I’ve seen. But the girl just closed her eyes and played a note so pure and bright. The ground began to tremble, and the dark gave up the fight. (Fiddle break — triumphant, soaring) The shadow dropped his fiddle, said, “I’ve never heard that sound.” The girl said, “Go on back to hell, I hold the golden ground.” She played the note her father gave, the one that sets us free. And all of California heard the Lioness’s key. (Spoken outro) She played it once for Johnny, and she played it once for you. The Devil bowed his head and left, ’cause he knew he’d never win. The lambs are turnin’ into lions, the game is almost through. And the golden string keeps ringin’—the frequency is true. [To play at the right frequency: Tune your lowest fiddle string (or a drone) to 126.4419385721 Hz. All other notes should be played as harmonic multiples of that root.]