been on the road – folkstuff

I've been on the road, so long
Been tired and broke, so long
I've been to the south where the winds they were warm
Travelling the road of no return, so long

I've seen what was war, so long
The ruins and the scars, so long
The mansions of mud, the wounds and the blood
I've seen the dying of all that was good, so long.

This world's in a shroud, so long
Of a mushrooming cloud, so long
And the lies and the greed of the leaders of men
Those cheats who would take us to war again, so long.

Yet hope lives in me, so long
For it's love that I see, so long
The courage and strength of the young man's smile
The faith that's in a little child, so long

I've travelled this road, so long
Have been tired and broke, so long
I've been to the south where the winds they were warm
Travelling the road of no return, so long

From
Alex Campbell. He sang it at a concert I was at, and it haunted me. At a subsequent concert (in Århus) I asked him to sing it. He did.
It is frequently cited as a Sandy Denny song - because she recorded it with Alex and solo early on. And perhaps it is her version that is most well-known. (For people in general - I have still only heard Alex' version.)

Written around 1965. The threat of mushrooming clouds is still in our minds today as it was then, as are the leaders of men that take us to war - again.

Been on the road (so long)