The Folkster
by some guy named robb
My favorite part about hearing “The Folkster” was seeing Robb’s evolution both as a musician and a person.
From the gritty and raw emotionality of “The Irresponsible Years” to the more polished, reflective nature of this newest album,
I have loved seeing all the iterations of Robb. Plus I always imagine all his friends in the background and all the fun they must have had making this music together.
-Sarah Post 2019
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The Songs
The Stars
Let it Rain
The Same Love
If You're Cold
Take a Stone
Woke Up This Morning
Sofi
On the Blades of the Tall Grass
Laughter and Tears
Wildflowers
The Sinking of the USS America
The Musicians
The Ben Smith
The Jason Jones
The Adrianna West
The Judith Stiritz
The Michael Stiritz
The Zach Carter
The Stephanie Cannon
and
Some Guy Named Robb
Recorded at Blue Chair Studio
by Darian Stribling
And Sun Studio in Memphis
by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell/Sean Rowe/Margo Price)
The Executive Producers
Stephen and Bridgette Shrum
Music Producers
Ben Smith, Darian Stribling,
and Some Guy Named Robb
Gloriously funded by Kickstarter in the
month of February 2018 by
generous supporters who
pre-ordered The FOLKSTER
All Words and Music written by
r. mccormick
Words and Chords for the Little Folksters!
The Stars
THE STARS
KEY OF D (chords for capo 2)
C F C
when i was young i used to want to make it big
C G C
back in my hometown when i was a just kid.
C F C
shining like the stars way up high on the screen
C G C
for everyone to hear for everyone to see
C F C
used to look at the night sky and dream i'd go far
C G C
spent half my time staring up at the stars
C F C
moved to the big city when i turned 18
C G C
played loud for the crowds and made the girlies scream
C F C
offered a contract that seemed like a dream
C G C
but sometimes dreams aren't quite what they seem.
C F C
i'd spend every night drivin' round in fancy cars
C G C
but them big city lights don't let you see the stars
Dm G C F
i've seen night skies and lifetimes disappear after dark.
Dm G C F
i've heard drunkards and gypsys harmonizing in the park
Dm G C F
I've seen bar flies have bar fights and i'd think i'd rather not...
Dm G C F
i'd rather be studying the sunset while she's giving up the stars.
C F C
I spent all my money on women and clichés,
C G C
I spent all my talent, got another man paid
C F C
Forgot what i loved and wasted my time
C G C
Like the stars in the daylight i forgot how to shine
C F C
you get to a point where it's all fun and games
C G C
till someone loses their soul and the games all seem lame
C F C
i started out big but what i wanted was small
C G C
like stars in the daytime i turned my back on it all.
CHORUS
Dm G C F
i've seen night skies and lifetimes disappear after dark.
i've heard junkies and dealers harmonizing in the park
i've seen the high life from the high rise and I think I'd rather not
i'd rather be studying the sunset while she's giving up the stars.
C F C
found my old hometown it was still on the map
C G C
they were more than happy to welcome me back
C F C
found a little woman just as sweet as can be
C G C
and now we sing to the stars and we swing from the trees.
C F C
you can spend your whole lifetime searching for things
C G C
chasing all after the wrong kind of dreams
C F C
if you thought what you wanted was big, might be small
C G C
don’t be afraid to walk away from it all
Dm G C F
i've seen night skies and lifetimes disappear after dark.
Dm G C F
i've heard junkies and dealers harmonizing in the park
Dm G C F
i've had club beats, VIP seats and we all yelled "MAZELTOV!"
C G C
but i'd rather be holding my darling underneath the stars
words and music by robb
9.30.11
The Same Love
THE SAME LOVE
Key of Eb capo 3rd
F G Am
When the day is long
F G Am
And the night is hard
F G Am
When the world is cruel
G F
Babe, I know who you are
F G Am
Sometimes you're down
F G Am
Sometimes your out
F G Am
Sometimes you can’t
G C
figure out what it's all about
F C G Am
Well life was meant to break your heart
F C G Am
And pain it comes to hurt and steal
F C G Am
Whatever makes you fall apart
F C G C
Love will find a way to heal
F C G C
Love will find a way to heal
F G Am
Sure as water finds a way
F G Am
Through every seep and crack
F G Am
Don't go so far that you can't make it back
F G Am
Cause when you cry
F G Am
Honey, I cry too
F G Am
And if you forget
G F G
No one knows you like i do
F C G Am
Well Love was meant to break your heart
F C G Am
And pain it comes to hurt and steal
F C G Am
Whatever makes you fall apart
F C G C
Love will find a way to heal
F C G C
Love will find a way to heal
Refrain:
F G C
The same Love that breaks you down
is the same Love that heals you now/lifts you out
words and music by robb 3.9.13
Take a Stone
TAKE A STONE
Capo 4th without big E
Key of E
C G7 C
take a stone and put it in your pocket
take your heart off of your sleeve
come on in the front door and lock it.
only if it’s where you want to be.
Am
take a stone.
C G7 C
take a walk through bona dea
take a drive through ol’ new mexico
taste the cold glass bottle of sangria
as we sail down a dusty road
take a stone
F Dm
take a stone from everywhere you go.
C F
and leave it at the next place you find
F G
and you will never have more than you can carry
Am F
you’ll never take more than you leave behind.
F Dm
leave a stone to remind you where you’ve been
C F
and then take one for where you want to go
F G
and though you may not end up where you planned
Am F
even when you’re by yourself you’re not alone
F G
you’re never alone
C Am / Am7
take a stone
C G7 C
take the stone out of your pocket
put your heart back in your chest
pull the pistol trigger back and cock it
shoot the apple off of my head
See The Mountains see the valleys
See the sunrise see sunset
See the building tops and the alleys
See everything, see nothing.
take a stone
F Dm
take a stone from everywhere you go.
C F
and leave it at the next place you find
F G
and you will never have more than you can carry
Am F
you’ll never take more than you leave behind.
F Dm
leave a stone to remind you where you’ve been
C F
and then take one for where you want to go
F G
and though you may not end up where you planned
Am F
even when you’re by yourself you’re not alone
F G
you’re never alone
C Am / Am7
take a stone
words and music by robb 4.3.16
last verse 4.25.17
Sofi
SOFI
key of D Capo 2
VERSE 1
C
Sofi she speaks to me
G
Sofi she sings to me
F G
I love her but I don’t understand
C
Sofi she comes to me
G
Sofi she runs from me
F G
But I always try to find her wherever I am
VERSE 2
C
Sometimes she kisses me
G
Sometimes she misses me
F G
When I’m tripping out of my head.
C
She speaks oh so famously
G
While I wander aimlessly
F G
Then she brings me back from the dead.
CHORUS 1
F Em7
I said, “hey girl why won’t you stay girl?
Dm7
Why run away girl?”
G
But I’m acting the fool.
F Em7
Then she says, “Hey man, that’s so uncool, friend.
Dm7 G
Don’t be a tool, yeah and, then we’ll be cool.”
VERSE 3
C
She speaks in a tongue,
G
That’s as old as the ages
F G
Cuts through to the heart of every matter
C
She strips me of vanity
G
Brings peace from calamity
F G
Every way she leaves she always leaves me in tatters
VERSE 4
C
She wounds with her words
G
Till each one is heard
F G
It hurts like it’s for my own good
C
Offers herself blamelessly
G
Humbles me shamelessly
F G
She does it like only she could
CHORUS 2
F Em7
I said, “Hey girl why won’t you stay girl?
Dm7
Don’t runaway girl.
G
I won’t act the fool.”
F
Then she says, “Why won’t you marry me
Em7
And always be true to me
Dm7 G
Why won’t you stay with me too?”
BRIDGE
F Em7 Dm
she says, “I’ve never once left you.
F Em7 G
No, I’ve never even once left you.”
F Em7
I said, “Hey girl, I’m gonna stay girl
Dm7
I’ve been away girl.
But never again.”
F
Let’s be husband and wife,
Em7
Through joy and through strife
Dm7 G
And let’s see this through to the end
C
Sofi she speaks to me
G
Sofi she sings to me
F G
Sofi she’s my only friend
words and music by robb
1.16.15
rewrite 2.2.15
2nd rewrite 4.2.16
Wildflowers
WILDFLOWERS
Key of D
C G Am F
C G
see how the wildflowers grow
Am F
they do not labor, work or toil
up on top of the mountains of snow
or in between the cracks in front of the grocery store
watch them defy the places they can not be
watch them define the elements they can resist.
watch how a twig can grow into a tree
and burst right through the harsh pavement
see how they grow
see how they climb
see how they leave their little world behind
out of darkest earth
into the Light.
see how they grow
watch how they shine
see how the little children grow
grow up from ashes and dirt
up they come from beneath the waves
of katrina's flooded earth
out of harshest adversity
like phoenixes they burn
flooding in for all the world to see
teaching us what we have yet to learn
see how they grow
see how they climb
see how the leave their little world behind
out of darkest earth
into the Light.
see how they grow
watch how they shine
consider the human heart
for all it's frailty and mirth
consider how it beats, how it breaks,
how it aches, how it yearns
now consider the universe,
consider the birds
consider the One Who makes things grow
now consider your worth.
see how you grow
see how you climb
see how you leave your little world behind
out of darkest earth
into the Light
see how you grow
watch how you shine
HalleluJah
words and music by robb
12.2.11
10:15 am
Let it Rain
Let It Rain (Got to Let it Go)
CAPO 4th in E
INTRO
CGCF/CGC
VERSE 1
C G
All the things you said
C F
All the things you never said
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
VERSE 2
C G
It’s only in your head
C F
It’s only in your precious head
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
CHORUS
G
There’s gonna be rain,
Am
There’s always rain,
F C
It’s gonna be alright someday
G
There’s gonna be rain,
Am
So let it rain
F G C
You’ve got to let it go
VERSE 3
C G
When the world is asleep
C F
But your heart’s is wide-awake
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
VERSE 4
C G
All the world’s a play
C F
I said all the world’s a big ol’ stage
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
CHORUS 2
G
There’s gonna be rain,
Am
There’s always rain,
F C
It’s gonna be alright someday
G
There’s gonna be rain,
Am
So let it rain
F G C
You’ve got to let it go
VERSE 5
C G
No he never said sorry
C F
No he never will
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
VERSE 6
C G
Take out the knife
C F
Still in your chest
C G C
Come on now you’ve got to let it go
ENDING CHORUS
G There’s gonna be rain,
Am There’s always rain,
FC
It’s gonna be alright someday
G There’s gonna be rain,
Am So let it rain
F G C
You’ve got to let it go
F G Am
You’ve got to let it go
F G C
You’ve got to let it ... (to ending)
ENDING
C G/B Bb A7
Go...
F G C
You’ve got to let it go
words and music by robb 5.28.16
If You're Cold
If You're Cold (Firewood)
this is actually played in E with a key change to F# [capo 2]
D A
I love this old guitar that lives inside my car
Em D/F# A
and everywhere we go, it goes too.
D A
and when I have a song that's rolling ‘round my heart
Em A D
I take it out, it helps me sing along to you.
A A
yeah the tone just right and the tuning's tight
A7
my favorite one the actions nice
A7add7 D
and I’ve strummed it ten thousand times 'neath a bright full moon
Em Bm
but if you’re cold
Em A
baby, if you're cold it's just no good.
Em A D
if you're cold, this old guitar is just firewood,
D A
I love these songs I write how they kept me through the night
Em D/F# A
and shelter me in the midst of all my storms.
D A
the things I could not say, got me penned down here someway
Em A D
the pages with stained by time, tears and torn.
A A7
the handwritten tunes that I’ve played for you
A7
when you were in still your momma's womb
A7add7 D
inspired by the best and worst of times.
Em Bm Em A
but if you cold, baby if you're cold and tired.
if you're cold then all these songs are just kindling for the fire.
bridge:
C G (G2)
cause everything means nothing
C A7
if something don't mean everything.
key change to E here (F#)
E B7
I love this old house that drapes around our lives
A B7
on a frozen winter night, keeps us warm inside.
E B7
I love the way it's too small when the gang's is all here.
A B7 E
but as we disappear, how it seems too big.
B
yeah the doors all creak, and the floors they squeak
B7
the mirror's spotty where we brush our teeth
B7 [build up] E
and we've had it since the day you were born.
F#m C#m
but if you're cold.
F#m B
baby, if you're cold it's just won't do
F#m B E
if you're cold this whole house is firewood
REPEAT CHORUS AND FADE
words and music by robb 3.31.08
Woke Up This Morning
Woke Up This Morning
key of D / capo 2nd
C
I woke up this morning and my love had left me
G7 C
my love had left me, my love had left me
C
I woke up this morning and my bed was empty
G7
my love had left me oh Lord
I woke up this morning feeling cold and clammy.
I was cold and clammy, I was cold and clammy.
woke up this morning feeling as old as granny.
I was cold and clammy, my Lord.
F
I guess it’s true what people say
C C7
good times come and then pass away
F
every blue sky will turn gray
D/F#7 G
into every life falls a little bit of rain (walk down, pause)
woke up this morning and ain’t got no money
ain’t got no money, ain’t got no money
work up this morning and my belly was a-hungry
but I ain’t got no money, oh Lord
went back to bed but I couldn’t sleep at all
I couldn’t sleep at all, I couldn’t sleep at all.
went back to bed sheep (pause) bouncing off the wall
but I couldn’t sleep, my Lord
woke up (pause) in the morning and I heard you Love me Lord,
I heard you Love me. I heard You Loved me.
I woke up this morning with blue skies above me,
when I heard You Loved me oh Lord.
F
it don’t matter what people say
C C7
bad times come but they never stay
F
every rain cloud floats away
D/F#7 G
every night turns as bright as day
woke up this morning and I know You Love me, Lord
Lord, I know You Love me, Lord. I know You Love me.
I woke up this morning with heaven right above me
I know you Love me oh Lord.
I woke up this morning and said thank You Jesus Lord
thank You Jesus Lord. I thank You Jesus
I woke up this morning cause I found a reason
I thank You Jesus, oh Lord.
words and music by robb 9.28.13
On the Blades of the Tall Grass
On the Blades of the Tall Grass
intro
Em Csus X2
VERSE 1
Em Csus7
I see you on the blades of the tall grass
Em Csus7
I see you like the edge of a knife
Em Csus7
I see you on the side of the road begging
Em Csus7
I see you with your insides spilling light
PRE-CHORUS 1
Am C
I know where you go, m’darling
Am C
I know you come from baby
Am C
I know where you’ve gone, m’darling
D D7
I know why you’ve gone away.
CHORUS 1
G
I won’t let no one say nothing,
C Am D7
No one say nothing about you
(3x all together)
Em
That ain’t true…
Em Csus X2
VERSE 1
Em Csus7
I see you in the sway of the tall grass
Em Csus7
I see you on the corner of the dance floor
Em Csus7
I seen you in the throes of the wild love
Em Csus7
I’ll see you till I won’t see you any more.
PRE-CHORUS 2
Am C
You know what I do, cause I want you
Am C
You know what I do, cause I’ll wait
Am C
You know what I’ll do just to haunt you
D D7
You know what it takes…
CHORUS 2
G
I won’t let no one say nothing,
C Am D7
No one say nothing about you
(3x all together)
Em
That ain’t true…
Em
(‘Less it’s true)
Vocal Riff at the end on the Em Csus X2
words and music by robb 4.24.14
The Sinking of the USS America
The Sinking of the USS America
Capo 2
Key of A
VERSE 1
C D G C G
I was safe on the lifeboat when I jumped back over board
C D G C G
Swam past the rudder, the anchor and some floaty toys
Am7 D7
Got back on the ship, it was lilting to the left
G C
Reached a compartment and grabbed a life vest
Am7 D Em
Looked around to see who all was going down
VERSE 2
The band was still playing “Superstition” by Little Stevie
The drinks were being served in the hall by the big screen TV
The gamblers were sitting drunk in their pj's
Placing their bets and tipping the dj's
The bartenders kept serving, the ladies kept on dancing for tips
No one seemed to notice or care about the angle of the ship
CHORUS
C F
I said, “Hey we're all going down
G Am
But we can all make it out if we leave right now.”
F G
But no one looked around
Am
Or said anything
VERSE 3
C
Went down to second class they were gathering up all of their gadgets
They had heard the alarms they had Tweeted, Facebooked and blabbed it
They were charging their phones and uploading them now
Transferring pics them from their phone into the cloud
They knew what was up but man, they were heavily distracted
CHORUS 2
C F
I said, “Hey we're all going down
G Am
But we could still make it out if we leave right now.”
F G
But nobody looked around
Am
Or said anything
VERSE 4
I went down to third class I found a little girl who was crying
I said, “It's going to be ok tell me who are your parents and we'll find them.”
She said, “Last time I checked they were up to their necks
Said to go on without them and climb up to higher decks
“Save yourself.” They said, “We don't even speak the language.”
Then they closed and locked the cabin door saying no one but Jesus could save them
CHORUS 3
C F
I said, "Hey we're all going down
G Am
But we might still make it out if we leave right now."
F G
So she looked around
Am
She took my hand
VERSE 5
We made it to the top but the lifeboats had already gone
Ain't that just like America to send 'em out with nobody on them
I took her in my arms and said hold tight
And with a leap of faith we sailed into the night
The taste of saltwater filled up our noses and mouths
We turned around in time to see the big ship headed south
VERSE 6
Yeah, The USS America in all of her glory.
Headed straight down to the bottom of the sea floor
With its Captain, it’s crew, and sadly most the passengers too
Just a few lifeboats hanging around no one knew what to do
CHORUS 4
I said, "Hey we can all go down
But we can still survive if we start right now."
So we tied our boats together and started to row
And when the sun was coming up we discovered a brand new home/shore.
Words and Music by robb 1.16.12
Laughter and Tears
Laughter and Tears
A G D / A G A D
D G D
sighs as she collapses on the sofa tonight
D A
the kids are in bed with just a night light
G D
but then she hears them giggle and pitter-patter of flight
A G D
a bump from the wall and a little lady cries
D G D
it's laughter and tears that fill up our lives
D A
it's joy and sorrow that binds us and ties
G D
each tear into darkness and each smile into light
A G D
it's laughter and tears that fill up our lives.
D G D
a scrape on the knee only a mother can fix
D A
the remedy is a Band-Aid, two hugs & a kiss
G D
a flat on the bicycle, daddy's got this
A G D
then it's off to kill dragons or make them our pets.
D G D
cause this part is filled with laughter and tears
D A
the climbing up trees and falling down stairs
G D
the echo of joy on new year’s midnight
A G D
where the soft lulling ocean drinks in the moonlight
D G D
mom, you don't understand you've never felt like i do
D A
smiling she says i once was young too.
G D
and heart's they break open and get torn in two
A G D
but heaven holds the promise that makes all things new
D G D
cause this is the part with laughter and tears
D A
of teenage disappointments and first driving fears.
G D
the freedom of knowing the wrong from the right
A G D
the pain of forgetting, the hurting inside
[instrumental break]
D G D
wife, i have loved you for all of my days.
D A
through all of the changes one thing has stayed.
G D
the Love that we share will not wilt away
A G D
what is planted on earth... will grow in heaven one day.
D G D
cause this part is filled with laughter and tears
D A
the happy and sad, the hopes and the fears
G D
her eyes run the mantle and fill up with tears
A G D
as she sits by the fireplace and remembers the years
A G D / (key of C) it will be G F C exit music
laughter and tears; words and music by robb
rewrite on 2.9.11 added 2nd and third verses, finally