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    Song Title »
Pirates Of Stone County Road
    Authors »
John Stewart

    Lyrics »

It's a summer afternoon, somewhere in Kansas or Illinois or Oklahoma. The wind is blowing the leaves down the gutter as the mailman comes by. "Afternoon Mrs. Higgins, hot enough for ya?" Over on Stone County Road there's the smell of chicken frying

Henry! It's getting t'wards suppertime you know. Henry!

There she calls from her second floor room
The end of a back porch afternoon
Where we'd stand on the bow of our own man-of-war
No longer the back porch any more
And we'd sail pulling for China
The pirates of Stone County Road
All weathered and blown
And we'd sail ever in glory
'Till hungry and tired
The pirates of Stone County Road
Were turning for home

Henry! You better be getting on up to bed now, don't ya know, Henry!

There she calls from her high wicker chair
As I climb to my room up the stair
Where the wind through the shutters
Sends the mainsail to fall
From the shadow of the bedpost on the wall
And we'd sail pulling for China
The pirates of Stone County Road
Weathered and blown
And we'd sail ever in glory
'Till hungry and tired
The pirates of Stone County Road
Were turning for home

Henry! Can you hear me, Henry. Are you up there Henry? Henry!

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    Performances »
Running Time 5:18
Performers John Stewart (Vocals), John Stewart (Guitars), John Stewart (Synthesizers), Dave Batti (Bass), Buffy Ford Stewart (Mother's Voice), Fred Koch/Kock (Voice Of Little Boy)
CommentsIncorrectly credited as "Pirates Of Stone Canyon Road" on the CD edition of the album.
Appears On
The Last Campaign (0000)
John Stewart

    Reviews »
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5/5.05/5.05/5.05/5.05/5.0
Return with us now to those thriiling days of yesteryear...
Review written by Ol Bill, October 15th, 2014

(The title is from a spoken introduction on the \"Phoenix Concerts\" album.)

This song, as well as any I\'ve ever heard, and quite possibly better than all others, combines muiscality, a sing-along (if you must) quality, but over and above all that, it encompasses childhood (for boys, at least) in the 1940s through 1960s when imagination was king, and half a torn sheet was all it took for you to become a ghost, Errol Flynn, Zorro, Superman, or Top Kid On The Block - the choice was all yours. Bittersweet if you think about it; simply heaven if you just let yourself go and *feel* the song without dissecting it. I first heard this in 1976, and have loved it ever since. (John has dozens of great songs recorded on over fifty albums, but this remains my favorite.)

    Last Modified »
2009-05-21