Jeni Hankins & Billy Kemp: Listen & Lyrics

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• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

I was once challenged by music critic Geoff Himes to write a song from the title of any Howard Hawks movie. When I saw the title "Land of the Pharaohs" this song just seemed to fall write out of the sky. I had been invited to play at a Woody Guthrie tribute and borrowed quite a bit of the melody from his "1913 Massacre" just as Bob Dylan did for his "Song for Woody." I was proud to have Billy debut this song with me at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. That was our first concert together and what better way to spend it than in the spiritual company of Woody Guthrie.

In the Land of the Pharaohs the coal boss is king.
He wagers the sun’s but a trifling thing.
In his dreams he reckons that he’ll mine it someday
and harness the power of the whole milky way.

Go down Moses, down to Pharaoh’s Land
preach your gospel, the Judgement’s at hand.
though the good times are past, though the boss does his worst,
when we all get to heaven, the last shall be first.

In the land of the Pharaohs a miner ain’t but a slave
who risks life and limb for a poor beggar’s wage.
And if he complains or brings the union around,
the thugs and the Pinkertons beat him back down.

Go down John L., down to Pharaoh’s Land
shout your gospel, the Judgement’s at hand.
though the good times are past, though the boss does his worst,
when we all get to heaven, the last shall be first.

Oh, the land of the Pharaohs is a rich man’s dream
filled with Carnegie steele and Ford’s factories
and the B & Q mine where a man is so small
that the world don’t notice when black lung comes to call.

Go down Woody, down to Pharaoh’s Land
sing your gospel, the Judgement’s at hand.
though the good times are past, though the boss does his worst,
when we all get to heaven, the last shall be first.