They released three albums to considerable acclaim: Made In Cape Breton (2002), On Fire (2004), and Forerunner (2006). In 2006, they toured extensively with the well-known Irish band The Chieftains. However, the founding members of the band split up in 2006, either because of artistic differences, or health problems, according to different reports.
The band began to appear without the Mackenzie siblings, and after experimenting with various fill-ins, settled upon fiddler Claire Pettit and fellow Cape Bretoner Bruce Timmons on guitar. They are currently working on a new studio album for release in Summer 2008.
Official website: http://www.thecottars.ca
Georgia Lee
The Cottars Lyrics
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They found her in a small grove of trees
And lonesome was the place where Georgia was found
She's too young to be out on the street
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
Ida said she couldn't keep Georgia from dropping out of
School
I was doing the best that I could
Oh, but she just kept running away from this world
These children are so hard to raise good
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
For Georgia Lee?
Close your eyes and count to ten
I will go and hide but then
Be sure to find me, I want you to find me
And we'll play all over
We'll play all over
We'll play all over
Again
There's a toad in the witch grass, there's a crow in
The corn
Wild flowers on a cross by the road
And somewhere a baby is crying for her mom
As the hills turn from green back to gold
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
For Georgia Lee?
Why wasn't God watching?
Why wasn't God listening?
Why wasn't God there
For Georgia Lee?
The Cottars's song Georgia Lee is a poignant representation of the tragedy of poverty and neglect. The lyrics describe the discovery of a young girl named Georgia Lee, who was found dead in a grove of trees in a lonesome place. The cold, hard ground is symbolic of the harsh realities of life that Georgia Lee faced. She was too young to be out on the streets, and the song asks why God wasn't watching, listening or there for her. The questions reflect the despair and helplessness that loved ones feel in the face of such tragedies.
The second verse of the song reveals that Georgia Lee had dropped out of school, and her guardian Ida couldn't keep her off the streets. Despite her best efforts, Georgia kept running away from the world. The song conveys the difficulty of raising children in poverty, where they face challenges that are difficult to overcome. The lyrics reflect on the challenges of parenthood, leaving the impression that it's easy to lose track of your children as they grow up.
The last verse of the song is a reflection of the cyclical nature of life. The toad in the witch grass, crow in the corn and wild flowers on the cross by the road are all symbols of the inevitability of death and rebirth. The baby that is crying for her mom represents a new life, while the hills turning from green to gold signify the changing of the seasons. The final refrain asks, once again, why God wasn't there for Georgia Lee, summing up the despair and loss experienced by those whose loved ones fall victim to poverty and neglect.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold was the night and hard was the ground
The night was extremely cold and the ground was tough, indicating the difficulty of the situation.
They found her in a small grove of trees
Georgia's body was discovered among a few trees.
And lonesome was the place where Georgia was found
The place where Georgia was found was lonely, implying a lack of care and attention.
She's too young to be out on the street
Georgia was too young to live on the streets, highlighting the vulnerability of youth.
Why wasn't God watching?
The artist feels confused as to why God did not intervene in the situation.
Why wasn't God listening?
The singer wonders why God did not hear Georgia's cries for help.
Why wasn't God there For Georgia Lee?
The singer is questioning why God did not provide protection for Georgia.
Ida said she couldn't keep Georgia from dropping out of School
Ida, Georgia's guardian, was unable to prevent her from quitting school.
I was doing the best that I could
Despite trying her hardest, Ida was unable to keep Georgia from running away.
Oh, but she just kept running away from this world
Georgia repeatedly ran away from the harsh realities of the world.
These children are so hard to raise good
Raising children properly can be challenging, especially when facing difficult circumstances.
Close your eyes and count to ten
Someone is playing a game and asks the other player to close their eyes and count to ten before trying to find them when they hide.
I will go and hide but then
The person plans on hiding when the other player counts to ten.
Be sure to find me, I want you to find me
The person hiding wants to be found by the other player.
And we'll play all over We'll play all over We'll play all over Again
After one round of the game, the players plan to start over and play again.
There's a toad in the witch grass, there's a crow in The corn
Various animals are present in the area, including a toad and a crow.
Wild flowers on a cross by the road
Flowers adorn a roadside cross.
And somewhere a baby is crying for her mom
A baby is crying out for her mother, highlighting the tragedy of lost children.
As the hills turn from green back to gold
As the seasons change, the hills shift in color from green to gold.
Why wasn't God watching?
As before, the artist is confused as to why God did not provide protection for Georgia.
Why wasn't God listening?
Again, the artist wonders why God did not hear Georgia's cries for help.
Why wasn't God there For Georgia Lee?
For the final time, the artist is questioning why God did not intervene in Georgia's tragic situation.
Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
PJ556666
on Home By Bearna
they are going home by another route to avoid something bad happening