Download Chris Thile’s Song of the Week for March 28, 2020, “CQ” (originally from October 12, 2019). The band: Chris Thile, Sarah Jarosz, Mike Elizondo, Kush Abadey, Chris Eldridge, Brittany Haas, Brett Williams.
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Lyrics:
[BALLADEERS]
He believes (belies (belabors))
Himself into the wee hours of the morning
‘Til even he finds it boring
So he leaves it to long (and then look) for
Someone else with some midnight oil that wants burning
And seeing as he’s made up so much of this story
(We will too)
Behold dear listener some 50 years early
(The first CQ):
[MORSE]
Mark what goes on under the sun
Bonds are broken feuds are begun
Behind veils of pride that no pastor’s son
Can peek through
Peek through
But these treacherous partners with their envy and lies
Have drifted off and left me to my
Own beloved darkness where I
Seek you
Seek you
CQ
[BALLADEERS]
And who should hear our hero
But a sleepless God of Wire in Waiting
Who jumps up from the cot where he ought to be sleeping
Having implored (empowered (imperiled))
The free world into the wee hours of the morning
And because that world keeps adding more to his story
(So will we)
Behold the rail-splitter of Illinois
(At the straight key:)
[LINCOLN]
Mark what goes on under the sun
Bonds are broken wars are begun
Behind veils of pride that no farmer’s son
Can peek through
Peek through
But these treacherous generals asking “how, sir, and why?”
Have drifted off and left me to my
Own beloved darkness where I
Seek you
Seek you
Seek you
[MORSE AND LINCOLN]
Mark what goes on under the sun
The dream is over the nightmare’s begun
Behind veils of pride no daughter or son
Can peek through
Peek through
Let these embattled children with children and wives
Drift off to sleep and leave me to my
Own beloved darkness where I
Seek you
Seek you
Seek you
CQ
CQ
CQ...
