Ever South

We packed our few belongings and we moved across the ocean

To start a new life in this land so bold and vast

Dispersed from Ellis Island, my distant Irish kin

Eyes cut to the future, heart’s tied to the past

We held tight to our loved ones and we held on to the promise

and we scraped our meager living hand to mouth

We prayed to what would have us, every doubting John Thomas

spreading through the Appalachia ever south

Spread through Appalachia ever south

And I hear we weren’t welcomed here, at least not in those days

No one needs our drunken, fighting, thieving kind

But we settled in this new place and we worked it in our ways

and spread our kin upon it in due time

Spread our kin upon it in due time

And we fought our losing battles and we held onto our ways

and we talk of how we left behind our better days

Some were living lives of leisure, some surviving hand to mouth

Bash our heads against the future, ever south

Bash our heads against the future ever south

When I set my sights upon you, we were both still in our prime

We were moving in big circles that I sought out to combine

And I held you in my arms and swore eternal love this time

Tried to lasso brighter futures and let it drag us both behind

Lasso brighter futures, let it drag us both behind

So we aimed our sights westward like so many did before

Expanding our horizons to some distant shore

Where everyone takes notice of the drawl that leaves our mouth

So that no matter where we are we’re ever south

No matter where we are we’re ever south

Now my Christian Southern brethren will tell you all what for

to keep your heathen ways up in you and your shoes outside the door

take your stand for noble causes till you just can’t stand no more

and surrender to some savior, Praise the Lord,

Surrender to some savior, Praise the Lord

But despite our best intentions, it pains me to report

we keep swinging for the fences, coming up a little short

We sure can get it wrong for someone so devout

I hear you whistling past the graveyard looking down

Whistling past the graveyard looking down

Ever Southern in my carriage, ever southern in my stance

in the Irish of my complexion and the Scottish in my dance

in the way I bang my head against my daily circumstance

Let this blue eyed southern devil take you out upon the prowl

with decadence and charm we’ll take it into town

tell you stories of our fathers and the glories of our house

Always told a little slower, ever south