Keep the Fire Low

Country rockabilly, narrow mono room-to-tape recording with short single-repeat slapback on voice and guitar; hard-strummed acoustic guitar with dry dollar-bill click, palm-muted baritone guitar alternating two clipped low notes, slapping upright bass, one eight-bar baritone break; very deep male bass-baritone close-miked, powerful full-voice belt with doubled hooks; steady 120 BPM freight-train boom-chicka-boom, plain and deadly serious

[Intro - baritone guitar and upright bass, four bars] [Verse 1] I count the rails from here to Cedar Bend I count the hours till the season ends I've got no use for weather or for friends Because you're waiting, I keep the fire low [Verse 2] They say out here a promise don't survive They say a man forgets to stay alive I keep yours folded up against my side Because you're waiting, I keep the fire low [Baritone guitar break - eight bars] [Verse 3] The night train hollers like it knows my name The cold comes down and every mile's the same I don't take whiskey and I don't take blame Because you're waiting, I keep the fire low [Verse 4] When this is finished I'll come up the road I'll set down every hammer, every load And every hour out here is one you're owed Because you're waiting, I keep the fire low [Verse 5 - same as the first, quieter] I count the rails from here to Cedar Bend I count the hours till the season ends I've got no use for weather or for friends Because you're waiting, I keep the fire low [Outro - guitar and bass stop together, no fade]

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