Story Behind The Song

The Balladeer tells the story of a country music fan and his respect for the songwriters and their songs that have had such an impact on him in his lifetime. As we lose these musical legends over time, he laments the fact that "a part of us goes too".

Song Description

The Balladeer is a slow, emotional song with a heavy dose of pedal steel guitar, augmented by primarily acoustic instrumentation. It's meant to be a poignant look at the great songsmiths of our time, and the loss we feel when they leave us.

Lyrics

THE BALLADEER
Copyright 2020

He was ten years out of Huntsville
I was wrangling at the stockyard
He had songs you'd swear you lived through
And they all had a common theme
Between the headlights and the footlights
His face reads like a road map
But with a voice like vintage leather
Every night he is redeemed

Chorus:
I close my eyes and the balladeer
Sets my mind to wonderin'
How could such a simple song
Run your heart right through?
I tip my hat to the troubadours
For the soundtrack of a lifetime
Once they're gone, well brother
A part of us goes too

Let him play on your heart strings
Let the words turn to tear drops
Then tell me you can't feel the weight
Of that mournful serenade
I'm not sure even he knows
Just how deep the scars run
But they're as deep as the desolation
That's a balladeer's stock in trade

I close my eyes and the balladeer
Sets my mind to wonderin'
How could such a simple song
Run your heart right through?
I tip my hat to the troubadours
For the soundtrack of a lifetime
Once they're gone, well brother
A part of us goes too

When the big wheels they stop turning
And the rails have rusted over
When the black top's just a distant dream
And all the angels have flown
There'll be nothing to swap your soul for
And no one to ask the question
How could a man be so loved
Yet feel so all alone?

I close my eyes and the balladeer
Sets my mind to wonderin'
How could such a simple song
Run your heart right through?
I tip my hat to the troubadours
For the soundtrack of a lifetime
Once they're gone, well brother
A part of us goes too

Playlist Creator	Playlist Name	Date Added
Jim Aitken	My Top Songs	1/7/2022
Cyndi Corkran	Country blues	9/25/2020
Cyndi Corkran	Awsome vocals	9/25/2020
Cyndi Corkran	Americana Folk	9/25/2020