Story Girl (2011)

Track List:

1. Sailor and the Mermaid

2. Raglan Road (by Patrick Kavanagh)

3. Celebration Reel

4. Scarborough Fair

5. Lucille

6. Willow’s Waltz

7. A Girl You Don’t Meet Every Day

8. Midsummer Jigs

9. It’s the Little Things

10. The Three Coins

11. Fields of Athenry (by Pete St. John)

12. Marching On

 1. Sailor and the Mermaid (G. Gothard, W. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitars, bass, keys, violin
Willow Gothard: violin, percussion
Solana Gothard: vocals, tambourine, bodhran, violin

One of the first songs we wrote together, this one had many different names before we settled on the title. The song describes the beautiful lyrical call of a mermaid contrasted with the marching theme of the sailor.

 2. Raglan Road (by Patrick Kavanagh, arr. The Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: violin, bass, guitars, keys
Willow Gothard: violin
Solana Gothard: vocals

This poem written by Patrick Kavanagh describes a young man who discovers the woman he loves is not all he thinks she is. It was put to music by Luke Kelly from The Dubliners when he set it to the traditional tune “the Dawning of the Day.” We changed the perspective a little bit to being third person, and arranged it using violin pizzicato to add to the nostalgic, haunting Autumn mood.

Verse 1
On Raglan Road on an Autumn day he saw her first and knew
That her dark hair would weave a snare that he might someday rue
He saw the danger and yet he passed along the enchanted way

CHORUS
And he said let grief be a falling leaf
At the dawning of the day
And he said let grief be a falling leaf
And the dawning of the day

Verse 2
On Grafton Street in November they tripped lightly along the ledge
Of a deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion’s pledge
The queen of hearts still making tarts and him not making hay

CHORUS
He loved too much
And by such by such is happiness thrown away
He loved too much
And by such by such is happiness thrown away

Verse 3
He gave her gifts of the mind he gave her the secret sign
That’s known to artists who have know true gods of sound and stone
And word and tint without stint he gave her poems to say

CHORUS
With her own dark hair
And her own name there like clouds over fields of May
With her own dark hair
And her own name there like clouds over fields of May

Verse 4
On a quiet street where old ghosts meet he sees her walking now
Away from him so hurriedly his reason must allow
That he has loved not as he should a creature made of clay

CHORUS
When the angel woos
The clay he’ll lose his wings at the dawn of day
When the angel woos
The clay he’ll lose his wings at the dawn of day
At the dawning of the day

 3. Celebration Reel (G. Gothard, W. Gothard, S. Gothard)

(Tunes: Celebration Reel 1 / Celebration Reel 2)

Greta Gothard: violin, guitar, cajon, keys
Willow Gothard: violin, bodhran, mandolin
Solana Gothard: violin, percussion
Darin Watkins: drums
Laurence Knight: bass

Upbeat and cheerful reels written by Greta and then arranged by Willow and Solana. These were designed as something you can get up and dance to. We added lots of percussion and mandolin for a more down-home feel.

 4. Scarborough Fair (Traditional, arr. Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: guitars, cajon, bass, keys, percussion, strings
Willow Gothard: lead violin, bells, strings
Solana Gothard:  lead vocals, djembe, strings
Ariana Nelson: cello
Darin Watkins: drums

Our upbeat take on this traditional English song. The song is about a girl who’s playing very hard to get. She continues issuing challenges to a young man to prove his love. This amazing song is over 500 years old now but it still feels fresh.

Verse 1
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there,
He once was a true love of mine

Verse 2
Tell him to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without no seam nor needlework
Then he’ll be a true love of mine

Verse 3
Tell him to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
Then he’ll be a true love of mine

Verse 1 (reprise)
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there,
He once was a true love of mine

 5. Lucille (G. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, electric guitar, violin, bass, keys
Willow Gothard: violin
Solana Gothard: violin
Darin Watkins: drums

Dedicated to our Grandmother, Lucy, this is a set of tunes about the imaginative times we spent with her when we were little - including stories about rainbow snapdragons, long walks, letters in the mail, hours of play and many other great memories.

 6. Willow’s Waltz (W. Gothard)

(Tune Names: Willow’s Waltz / Silver and Gold)

Greta Gothard: guitar, bass, violin, cajon
Willow Gothard: mandolin, violin
Solana Gothard: violin

This is one of the more thoughtful pieces we've ever written. It's a waltz for violin, mandolin, guitar and strings. Willow and Solana wrote it together over the course of several months, many of the days while the rain was pouring down outside.

 7. A Girl You Don’t Meet Every Day (Traditional, arr. Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: guitar, vocals, bass, keys, cajon, piano
Willow Gothard: violin, bodhran
Solana Gothard: vocals, bodhran
Darin Watkins: drums

Our “twist” on a traditional song called A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day. We changed the words on this one so Solana could sing it when she was a lot younger. You’ll notice a few key lyric changes from the original to make it more suitable.

Verse 1
Oh my name is Jane Stewart
I’m a Cannington lass
And today I have come a long way

CHORUS
So be easy and free
When you’re walking with me
I’m a girl you don’t meet every day

Verse 2
If you come close to me
I will sing just for thee
I have done so on many a day

CHORUS

Verse 3
Well it’s plain you can see
A close friend you will be
I’ll welcome you with open arms

CHORUS

 8. Midsummer Jigs (Traditional, arr. Gothard Sisters)

(Tunes: Blue Bonnets over the Border / O’Carolan / Quidich ‘n Righ / The Cat’s Meow )

Greta Gothard: guitar, violin, keys, electric guitar
Willow Gothard: violin, keys, bodhran, cajon, bass
Solana Gothard: violin, percussion
Darin Watkins: drums

A set of traditional tunes arranged in the style of the music we love from dance shows. Jigs that hopefully will make you want to get up and dance!

 9. It’s the Little Things (G. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, bass, vocals, violin
Willow Gothard: fiddle, vocals, keys
Solana Gothard: vocals, bodhran, low whistle, percussion, violin

Greta first wrote the lyrics to this song while on the road. While we tried out different ideas for verses, nothing ever really fit, so the song ended up simple, with only this simple chorus.

CHORUS
It’s the little things that make a difference
little things
It’s the little things that make a difference
Be the change you wish to see in the world

 10. The Three Coins (W. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: violin, percussion, dance
Willow Gothard: violin, bodhran, dance
Solana Gothard: bodhran, violin, percussion, dance
Chris Luquette: hand claps

A dance tune that harkens to adventure - the legend of the three coins, dusty roads, cowboy boots, mountain vistas and more.

 12. Marching On (G. Gothard, W. Gothard, S. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, cajon, djembe, violin, keys
Willow Gothard: violin, piano, mandolin
Solana Gothard: violin, tambourine
Darin Watkins: drums

A marching song that we all wrote together, thinking about the wide-open vistas of Eastern Washington. The song is dedicated to everyone who has pushed through something difficult - soldiers, service members, armed forces, doctors and nurses and everyday people who keep marching on no matter what life throws at them. Keep on marching!

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