“I’ll Show You the Way”
Tom Smith describes the process of writing "I'll Show You the Way" as an alternative to the Stephen Foster song, "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)."
Tom sings “I’ll Show You the Way (a lullaby).”
Alternative for “Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)”, by Stephen Foster
Uses the same rhyme scheme and melodic structure (not the same melody), and borrows from the original’s themes of family, lost innocence and comfort.
"I’ll Show You the Way (a lullaby)"
© 2020 Tom Smith (ASCAP), TomSmithMusic.com
Permission granted to use for personal and educational purposes. All other rights reserved.
Lay your head upon my breast
Match your breath to mine
Wrap your arms around my waist
Sleep will come in time
Though the night is cold and dreary
You are safe at home
When the world is mad and scary
You'll not be alone
[CHORUS]
Cast all care away my child
I am here to say
When it’s time to walk through darkness
I'll show you the way
The bad things that some people do
You may not understand
Ask and I’ll explain to you
Or tell you when I can't
This I know with all my heart
It may seem far away
Light will always follow dark
And I’ll show you the way
[CHORUS - and repeat last line]
- - - - - - - - -
Here is how Tom recorded it.
Key D# (capo on 3rd fret), 4/4 time
Verses:
/ C - - - / F - C - / C - - - / G - - - /
/ C - - - / F - C - / C - G - / C - - - /
Chorus:
/ F - - - / Em - - - / Am - - - / F - - - /
/ C - - - / F - C - / C - G - / C - - - /
Final Chorus:
/ F - - - / Em - - - / Am - - - / F - - - /
/ C - - - / F - C - / C - G - / Am - - - / Am - - - / F - G - / C - - - /
Колисанка (Kolysanka - A Lullaby)
Following publication of this song on this web site, it was translated into Ukrainian by Olena Oksenych. In May of 2022 she recorded it with the help of Mariya Dmitrova and Vyacheslav Sobolev at Kobzar Records in Kyiv, in spite of the bombing and failing infrastructure in the area.
More info at this page.
Words and music: © 2020 Tom Smith (ASCAP), TomSmithMusic.com
Ukrainian translation: © 2022 Olena Oksenych
Olena Oksenych: vocals, lira (hurdy gurdy)
Mariya Dmitrova: vocals, guitar
Vyacheslav Sobolev: sound producer, mix engineer. Kobzar Records studio.
Video: Olena Oksenych
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Колисанка (Kolysanka - A Lullaby)
Пригортаю ніжно-ніжно
До мене лягай
В затишку моїх обіймів
Міцно засинай
Ніч холодна, але сяє
В чорноті зоря
Коли світ тебе лякає
Знай, що поруч я
Хай тривоги згинуть геть
Слухай мене
Я крізь темряву дороги
Поведу тебе
Часом люди горе сіють
Схочеш знать чому -
Поясню, все що зумію
Й міцно обійму
З серця лине колисанка
Кожна ніч мине
І до певного світанку
Я поведу тебе
Хай тривоги згинуть геть
Слухай мене
Я крізь темряву дороги
Поведу тебе
Поведу тебе