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Beyond The Willow Tree

by Cleveland Francis

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    21 track double LP anthology, restored and remastered from the original master tapes by grammy award winning mastering engineer Michael Graves. Includes Francis’ debut release “Follow Me”, as well as a second record featuring unreleased and never before heard covers and demos. Made with a deluxe tip-on gatefold sleeve with liner notes written by Cleveland Francis and Forager Records. Artwork based on the original Follow Me record featuring photos of Francis from the late 60s and early 70s.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Beyond The Willow Tree via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
Follow me To The Willow Tree Follow me To the Willow Tree You just follow me Oh and you will see There's peace beneath, oh lord The Willow Tree And the world's against you And you're down and out
2.
And I wake up in the mornin' With my hair down in my eyes and she says "Hi" And I stumble to the breakfast table While the kids are goin' off to schoolâ?¦goodbye And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand And squeezes it 'n' says "How ya feelin', hon?" And I look across at smilin' lips That warm my heart and see my mornin' sun And if that's not lovin' me Then all I've got to say God didn't make little green apples And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme God didn't make little green apples And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime And when my self is feelin' low I think about her face aglow and ease my mind Sometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy And ask her if she could get away and meet me And maybe we could grab a bite to eat And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me And I'm always late But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me 'cause she's made that way And if that ain't lovin' me Then all I've got to say God didn't make little green apples And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes And there's no such thing as make-believe Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB guns FADE God didn't make little green apples And it don't rain in Indianapolis
3.
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand I'm a long way from home, Lord, I miss my loved ones so In the early morning rain with no place to go Out on runway number nine a big 707 set to go And, I'm stuck here in the grass where the pavement never grows Now, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast Well, there she goes, my friend, she'll be rolling down at last Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on high She's away and westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly There the morning rain don't fall and the sun always shines She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time This old airport's got me down, it's no earthly good to me And I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain
4.
When I get older losing my hair Many years from now Will you still be sending me a Valentine Birthday greetings bottle of wine If I'd been out till quarter to three Would you lock the door Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I'm sixty-four You'll be older too And if you say the word I could stay with you I could be handy, mending a fuse When your lights have gone You can knit a sweater by the fireside Sunday mornings go for a ride Doing the garden, digging the weeds Who could ask for more Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I'm sixty-four Every summer we can rent a cottage In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear We shall scrimp and save Grandchildren on your knee Vera, Chuck and Dave Send me a postcard, drop me a line Stating point of view Indicate precisely what you mean to say Yours sincerely, wasting away Give me your answer, fill in a form Mine for evermore Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I'm sixty-four
5.
Hot Sun 03:06
Lord I work all day, lord Lord in the hot sun, lord You know I work all day, yeah In the hot sun, lord In this hot sun you know I've got to work all day I've got a wife and a kid And I sweat all day I just got a wife and a kid lord You know I've got to work, and I've got to sweat all day In the hot sun Ohh I got to work all day
6.
Hey Jude 03:37
Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her into your heart, Then you can start to make it better. Hey Jude, don't be afraid. You were made to go out and get her. The minute you let her under your skin, Then you begin to make it better. And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain, Don't carry the world upon your shoulders. For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool By making his world a little colder. Hey Jude, don't let me down. You have found her, now go and get her. Remember to let her into your heart, Then you can start to make it better. So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin, You're waiting for someone to perform with. And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do, The movement you need is on your shoulder. Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her under your skin, Then you'll begin to make it Better better better better better better, oh. Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude... (repeat X number of times, fade)
7.
She is the daughter of a king And is free as the birds that sing Oh she wears the diamonds, the rubies All the while she's had the reigns But he is the son of a slave And he's so ragged and tall Oh he was cursed since the day Since the day that he was born ...
8.
Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons everywhere Looked at clouds that way But now they only block the sun They rain and they snow on everyone So many things I would have done But clouds got in my way I've looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down and still somehow It's cloud illusions I recall I really don't know clouds at all Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels The dizzy dancing way that you feel As every fairy tale comes real I've looked at love that way But now it's just another show And you leave 'em laughing when you go And if you care, don't let them know Don't give yourself away I've looked at love from both sides now From give and take and still somehow It's love's illusions that I recall I really don't know love Really don't know love at all Tears and fears and feeling proud To say, "I love you" right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds I've looked at life that way Oh, but now old friends they're acting strange And they shake their heads and they tell me that I've changed Well something's lost, but something's gained In living every day I've looked at life from both sides now From win and lose and still somehow It's life's illusions I recall I really don't know life at all It's life's illusions that I recall I really don't know life I really don't know life at all
9.
Rain 02:14
Listen to the pouring rain Listen to it pour, And with every drop of rain You know I love you more Let it rain all night long Let my love for you grow strong, As long as we're together Who cares about the weather? Listen to the falling rain Listen to it pour And with every drop of rain, I can hear you call, Call my name right out loud, I can hear above the clouds And I'm here among the puddles You and I together huddle. Listen to the falling rain, Listen to it rain. It's raining, it's pouring The old man is snoring, Went to bed and he bumped his head He couldn't get up in the morning, Listen to the falling rain, Listen to it fall, And with every drop of rain, I can hear you call Call my name right out loud I can hear above the clouds And I'm here among the puddles You and I together huddle Listen to the falling rain Listen to the rain Listen to the falling rain Listen to the rain Listen to the falling rain Listen to the rain Hm-hm, listen to the falling rain Listen to the rain
10.
Time 02:46
Some people run, some people crawl Some people don't even move at all Some roads lead forward, some roads lead back Some roads are bathed in light, some wrapped in fearful black Time, oh time where did you go? Time, oh good, good time where did you go? Some people never get, some never give Some people never die and some never live Some folks treat me mean, some treat me kind Most folks just go their way, don't pay me any mind Time, oh time where did you go? Time oh good, good time where did you go? Sometimes I'm satisfied, sometimes I'm not Sometimes my face is cold, sometimes it's hot Sunset I laugh, sunrise I cry At midnight I'm in between and wondering why Time. oh time where did you go? Time, oh good good time where did you go? Time, oh time where did you go? Time, oh good good time where did you go?
11.
Tomorrow won’t be like any other day Today I gave my heart away Tomorrow the sun will shine again for me and once more will my life be filled with gaiety And the song that I sing to her will be a melody Let will bring joy to her that parries in the spring I’m gettin’ ready I’m gettin’ ready for tomorrow I’ll only say the thing she wanna hear Yes, I’ll be content with just having her near So began yesterday’s sorrow and I’ll beg you proclaim and may gloom for tomorrow’s give the happiness it brings I’m gettin’ ready I’m gettin’ ready for tomorrow for tomorrow for tomorrow for tomorrow for tomorrow Yeahh for tomorrow for tomorrow I’m gettin’ ready for tomorrow….
12.
Oh my name it ain't nothin' My age it means less The country I come from Is called the Midwest I was taught and brought up there The laws to abide And that land that I live in Has God on its side Oh, the history books tell it They tell it so well The cavalries charged The Indians fell The cavalries charged The Indians died Oh, the country was young With God on its side The Spanish-American War had its day And the Civil War, too Was soon laid away And the names of the heroes I was made to memorize With guns in their hands And God on their side The First World War, boys It came and it went The reason for fighting I never did get But I learned to accept it Accept it with pride For you don't count the dead When God's on your side The Second World War Came to an end We forgave the Germans And then we were friends Though they murdered six million In the ovens they fried The Germans now, too Have God on their side I've learned to hate the Russians All through my whole life If another war comes It's them we must fight To hate them and fear them To run and to hide And accept it all bravely With God on my side But now we got weapons Of chemical dust If fire them, we're forced to Then fire, them we must One push of the button And a shot the world wide And you never ask questions When God's on your side Through many a dark hour I've been thinkin' about this That Jesus Christ was Betrayed by a kiss But I can't think for you You'll have to decide Whether Judas Iscariot Had God on his side. So now as I'm leavin' I'm weary as Hell The confusion I'm feelin' Ain't no tongue can tell The words fill my head And fall to the floor That if God's on our side He'll stop the next war
13.
Where can a man go To find love Where can he go to find love If he can't find it in his fellow man No matter how hard he tries he finds out that he can't For the world don't know what love is ...
14.
In the cool lovin evening, In a tension southern time A useless bully was fought and a great man was down Oh death had come To take him away He was done with the troubles of this world and the toils of his day The winds began to blow To cover his footprints in the sand ...
15.
Change 02:55
Change, change Change, oh change Oh listen to the wind, as it sings it's merry song Summer's gone and the winter's coming on Flowers no longer blooming and the air is getting cold And the leave birds have made their home, oh yeah You know that old sun his shining but his rays I cannot feel
16.
Oooo Oooo It's got to get better, it's got to get better It's got to get better, it's got to get better It's got to get better, oh yeah whoa we've got to try as hard as we can, To make this a better land, One in which we all can stand In a head It's got to get better, it's got to get better It's got to get better, it's got to get better It's got to get better, oh yeah Oh if we can think of someone else and not only always of ourselves ...
17.
Lord I work all day, lord Lord in the hot sun, lord You know I work all day, yeah In the hot sun, lord In this hot sun you know I've got to work all day I've got a wife and a kid And I sweat all day I just got a wife and a kid lord You know I've got to work, and I've got to sweat all day In the hot sun Ohh I got to work all day
18.
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand I'm a long way from home, Lord, I miss my loved ones so In the early morning rain with no place to go Out on runway number nine a big 707 set to go And, I'm stuck here in the grass where the pavement never grows Now, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast Well, there she goes, my friend, she'll be rolling down at last Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on high She's away and westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly There the morning rain don't fall and the sun always shines She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time This old airport's got me down, it's no earthly good to me And I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain
19.
Summertime 02:58
Summertime and the livin' is easy Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high Your daddy's rich and your ma is good lookin' So hush, little baby, don't you cry One of these mornin's, you're gonna rise up singin' You're gonna spread your wings and you'll take to the sky But 'til that mornin', there is nothin' can harm you With Daddy and Mummy, standing by Don't you, don't you cry
20.
She is the daughter of a king And is free as the birds that sing Oh she wears the diamonds, the rubies All the while she's had the reigns But he is the son of a slave And he's so ragged and tall Oh he was cursed since the day Since the day that he was born ...
21.
Follow me To The Willow Tree Follow me To the Willow Tree You just follow me Oh and you will see There's peace beneath, oh lord The Willow Tree And the world's against you And you're down and out

about

Beyond The Willow Tree is a hauntingly beautiful anthology of folk songs chronicling the experience of a young black man growing up in the segregated south. A balanced mix of covers and originals, Cleveland Francis’ body of work seamlessly blends deep, soulful vocals with the stripped down acoustic instrumentation of folk. In the late 60’s Francis coined the term “soulfolk”, playing his genre bending music across college campuses and coffee shops while earning a medical degree at William & Mary.

These songs serve as a missing link between soul and folk music, suppressed by the harsh political landscape of a music industry heavily influenced by racial stereotypes. “If you were black, you played blues or soul music … I wanted to play folk music,” Cleveland professed.

Included in this double LP set is Cleveland Francis’ entire 1970 self released album Follow Me, featuring the original artwork and liner notes printed inside the gatefold. The second LP takes you Beyond The Willow Tree with unreleased demos recorded in 1968 along with one 45 only single recorded in 1970.

“These recordings are a look into my soul through a long and lonely journey to understand feelings of my childhood, poverty, racial segregation, bigotry, war, love and hope. It represents my attempt to express and come to terms with all that I have seen and felt as a Black man growing up in America.” - Cleveland Francis

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released June 15, 2022

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Cleveland Francis Alexandria, Virginia

“These recordings are a look into my soul through a long and lonely journey to
understand feelings of my childhood, poverty, racial segregation, bigotry, war,
love and hope. It represents my attempt to express and come to terms with all that
I have seen and felt as a Black man growing up in America."

- Cleveland Francis
... more

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