Emmylou Harris    Bang The Drum Slowly  written by Guy Clark                                                    Emmylou Harris I meant to ask you how to fix that car I always meant to ask you about the war And what you saw across a bridge too far Did it leave a scar Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal And still you found the ground beneath your wheels How did it feel Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly To dust be returning from dust we begin Bang the drum slowly I’ll speak of things holy Above and below me world without end I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed There was still that line that you would never cross At any cost I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed With nothing but your heart up your sleeve And if you ever really were deceived By the likes of me Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly To dust be returning from dust we begin Bang the drum slowly I’ll speak of things holy Above and below me world without end Gone now is the day and gone the sun There is peace tonight all over Arlington But the songs of my life will still be sung By the light of the moon you hung I meant to ask you how to plow that field I meant to bring you water from the well And be the one beside you when you fell Could you tell Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly To dust be returning from dust we begin Bang the drum slowly I’ll speak of things holy Above and below me world without end From Emmylou Harris "Red Dirt Girl" Nonesuch Records 2000 Poodlebone Music/EMI April Music