APPALACHIA RISING
Brooks Bradbury
6.11.2011
BORN IN A HOLLER
RAISED IN A SHACK,
LEARNED TO GET BY ON
WHAT THE LAND GAVE BACK
NEVER KNEW THE WORLD
OF THE GREAT BEYOND
APPALACHIAN MAN FOREVER FOND
OF THE SWEET BLUE RIDGE LAND
HE GREW UP ON
HE KNOWS THE RIDGE
LIKE THE BACK OF HIS HAND
PAIN, DROUGHT AND HUNGER
MADE A BOY INTO A MAN
HE’LL NEVER BREAK FREE
OF HIS BLUE RIDGE BOND
HOME IS HERE IN THE LAND HE’S ON
LIVING ON A MEAGER RATION
PUT DOWN, DISPARAGED–
PROUDLY APPALACHIAN
IT’S A SIMPLE LIFE IN TIME
WHERE I FEEL THE BEAT
OF NATURE’S RHYTHM
AND THE TIES THAT BIND
BORN IN A HOLLER
RAISED IN A SHACK
LEARNED TO GET BY
ON WHAT THE LAND GAVE BACK
NEVER KNEW THE WORLD
OF THE GREAT BEYOND
APPALACHIAN MAN’S SACRED BOND
HE’D NEVER LEAVE THE LAND
HE GREW UP ON
HERE IS WHERE HE HUNTED
UP ON THE RIDGE,
LEARNED ABOUT FAMILY
LEARNED ABOUT LOVE
LEARNED TO MAKE THE MOST FROM A LITTLE, AND TO RISE ABOVE
APPALACHIAN MAN KNOWS WHAT HE’S MADE OF
THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE
WHEN GOD MADE HOME
HE MADE MY BLUE RIDGE
HE MADE OUR HOME LIKE HEAVEN
GAVE US BLUE GRASS AND WINE,
FOX GRAPES AND PINTOS,
SUGAR AND ‘SHINE
EVERYTHING NEEDED
UNDER THE SUN
WHEN GOD MADE MY BLUE RIDGE
HE KNEW HIS WORK WAS DONE
LIFE HERE’S A CHALLENGE
NO OUTSIDER KNOWS
THE PEACE OF THE MOUNTAINS,
AND THE WAY THE WIND BLOWS
REAL SILENCE EXISTS ALONG
OLD COUNTRY ROADS
BUT THE WAY IT’S ALWAYS BEEN AIN’T THE WAY THE STORY GOES
THE TREES BEGIN TO WHISPER,
WE’RE ALL REALIZING
THE TIME’S HAS ARRIVED APPALACHIA’S RISING
THE TIME’S HAS ARRIVED FOR APPALACHIA RISING
BORN IN A HOLLER
RAISED IN A SHACK,
LEARNED TO GET BY
ON WHAT THE LAND GAVE BACK
NEVER KNEW THE WORLD
OF THE GREAT BEYOND,
NEVER LEFT THE LAND
HE GREW UP ON
APPALACHIAN MAN FIGHTS
FOR THE LAND HE’S ON
Brooks Bradbury 