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about

Carrying a guitar often leads to conversations, and as I walked the streets of downtown Billings I met a music lover across from the bus depot. He introduced himself as Big Knife. In five minutes we were singing old Freddy Fender and Buffy Saint Marie songs. I asked him for a story I could use for a song and he talked about riding the boxcars form Billings to St. Paul. He was sleeping on the streets and pretty much broke, but he never asked for money. He seemed to only want a little conversation.

lyrics

Number Sixteen, April 19th, 2012

Big Knife

Big Knife stands alone
On a street so far from my home
No bus fare has he
No warm place to sleep
No secrets he will keep
From the cold April wind

Big Knife has seen it all
Riding freight from Billings to St Paul
He's learned to stay alive
But his native blood has died
He'll have to find a place to hide tonight
From the cold April wind

There's a big sky
High over where we stand tonight
There's a big lie
That promises Big Knife
A home is waiting for him

So Big Knife, sing with me
Freddy Fender and Buffy Saint Marie
Then you're off to a place unsaid
And I'm off to a hotel bed
In the cold April wind

Big Knife may you dream tonight
Of your soul, free and lost in flight

credits

from 52 Songs in 52 Weeks: 2012, released July 15, 2013

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James Hersch Minneapolis, Minnesota

I live on this piece of prairie. I'm passionate and dedicated to writing songs in hopes of singing them for people. I don't think I could continue without both ends of that process. Create then hope. It's here I write songs, and here I wait to sing them for others. ... more

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