We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

A Ripple in Time

by Tiller's Folly

/
1.
John Tod 03:55
JOHN TOD Late last evening I had a dream I met John Tod on the Oak Bay Road The weathered old ghost of a Hudson's Bay Trader With lop-sided grin and old tattered cloths He'd left his home on the Vale of Leven Left Stornawa' on the Edward & Ann He crossed the great ocean in 1811 Through Hudson's Bay and to Rupert's Land I tried to imagine the span of a lifetime As riddled with peril or molded by change He could recall with childlike amusement The youthful adventures of his former days But where are ye now, ye Hudson's Bay Brothers? And where are ye now, my comrades of old? W' James Murray Yale or Edward Ermatinger We lived with the Cayuse & Carriers bold He told how they fought the valiant Nor'Westers Along the Saskatchewan, long, long ago And came to this place called "New Caledonia" A land of promise and riches untold It's hard imagine the span of a lifetime As riddled with peril or molded by change Yet he would recall in fondest reflection The youthful adventures of his former days And as my dream ends, I turned to look back And see the procession advance down the road Twenty-eight carriages all draped in black As the world bids adieu to old John Tod It's hard imagine the span of a lifetime As riddled with peril or molded by change Yet he would recall in fondest reflection The youthful adventures of his former days
2.
A RIPPLE IN TIME On the sun warmed rocks by the river With the heat of day pounding in my shoes I laid down on the shore, my heart stricken sore To shake off these vagabond blues Oh there's gentle, sweet souls in the North lands And a welcome wherever I've roamed And I hope they won't mind, or think it unkind When I break like a shot to the door 'Cause it's still such a long way from home This highway feels like no man's land When all I can see is the road still ahead On the crest of a wave it's all well & fine 'Till you're caught in the wake like a ripple in time There's a chill rolling in from the mountains But there's nothing so blue as the sky There are rumors of spring in all living things And there's a handshake with every good-bye This highway feels like no man's land When all I can see is the road still ahead On the crest of a wave it's all good & fine 'Till you're trapped in the wake like a ripple in time Oh, it seems like a year since I've held you The telephone only reaches half the way I guess these are the dues for doing as you choose You can still get the blues, that's the thing This highway feels like no man's land There's not much to do, so you do what you can There's a crest and a wake, then it's all left behind As old memories fade just like ripples in time At the crest of the wave It's all good & fine 'Till you're trapped in the wake like a ripple in time
3.
4.
McCULLOCH’S WONDER Back in1916 they laid the last rail down On the Coast-to-Kootenay Railway from Hope to Midway town Over three mountain ranges lay the greatest challenge Any engineer could find Two ribbons of steel they called the Kettle Valley Railway Line Andrew McCulloch, just look what you have done You've built a railway, where they said a railway was never meant to run Where other men would have said "die" You'd take a second look, 'cause you never know until you try Now it's called McCulloch's Wonder; the old "Tin Whistle" Line What dreams inspired your trestled spans along the Myra Canyon? Or drove Othello Tunnels through Hope's forbidding gate? Copper, gold, cattle & coal from across the southern vales Avalanches ice & snow, through driving wind and hail Chief Engineer for twenty years, kept watchful eye on the marvel he'd designed It was called McCulloch's Wonder; The Kettle Valley Railway Line Aboard a helper engine, up Carmi's steeper grades The fireman's back was breaking, he shoveled eighteen tons a day Now everything is still, no smoke no steam or rumble in the rails Water towers and stations gone and few folks left to tell the tale But buried in these silent hills along the roadside stands a lonely highway sign Here lies McCulloch's Wonder; The Kettle Valley Railway Line McCulloch's Wonder; The old "Tin Whistle" Line
5.
GHOST OF KITTY O’REILLY Kitty blushed in the full bloom of spring Carefree and wild as a bird on the wing Unencumbered by love’s tender strings She lived by the Point Ellice shore From far and wide, like moths to a flame Calling and courting the gentlemen came Still she bided her time, content to remain In the house by the Point Ellice shore There was not a one so fare Timeless beauty and devil may care At the height of Victorian flare With paints, easel and garden Oh, the scores of hearts she snared Few resisted and few were spared Though they pined oh, the less she could care No one could kindle her ardour Kitty died, a solit’ry rose She never had wed; she’d seldom left home Having never found love, was her heart turned to stone? All alone by the Point Ellice shore Many years have come and have gone A story’s told so the legend lives on That a maid with a blue dress on Still haunts the house by the harbour And there, I fear the ghost of fare Kitty O’Reilly Will haunt evermore
6.
23 CAMELS Well it came about on a month of May That 23 Camels sailed away 23 Camels for Douglas sailed And the road to the Cariboo Where the Camels came from, no one knew In the Cariboo in the days of old From the U.S. Army or old Manchu? In the Cariboo in the days of gold From Arizona on a railway crew In the Cariboo in the days of old All the way to the Cariboo But 23 Camels that's a twist, Oh you've never seen such a sight as this Run like a devil when the camels hiss On the Road to the Cariboo "Ships of the Desert" was the camel's fame In the Cariboo in the days of old They could carry a half-of-a-ton was claimed In the Cariboo in the days of gold Till their feet went tender and they all took lame In the Cariboo in the days of old They were auctioned off away But 23 Camels, that's a sight, Where the donkey brays and the horse takes flight It's a wonder everybody didn't die of fright On the road to the Cariboo They kicked and bit at everything that moved In the Cariboo in the days of old They smelled so bad that they scared the mules In the Cariboo in the days of gold Causin' so much trouble that the teamsters sued In the Cariboo in the days of old Their disruptions to curtail But 23 Camels, that's a sight When the donkey brays and the horse takes flight It's a wonder everybody didn't die of fright On the Road to the Cariboo But 23 Camels that's a twist, Oh you've never seen such a sight as this Run like a devil when the camels spit On the Road to the Cariboo
7.
8.
ELECTRIC RAILWAY LINE Climbed aboard the old 1402 on the Electric Railway Line Thirteen cents in cash fare paid on the Electric Railway Line Got my transfer and receipt it took no time to take my seat Kicked off my shoes, kicked up my feet on the Electric Railway Line From Yarrow, Stewart & Sinclair along the Interurban Line Then through Bellerose, Kidd, Reclaim along the Interurban Line Stopped in Jackman, County Line through Coghlan, Warwhoop and Jardine Meridian, Sullivan, Hyland, Kings on the Electric Railway Line All along the Interurban Line You could hear them motors wail and whine Clicking down the track and she's right on time You can smoke "Wills' Capstan Cigarettes" out on the Observation Car You know they're fifteen cents a packet by the Hastings depot yard You can read the Buzzer in the vestibule Or you can thumb through the Farm Service News Well I'm telling you, you just can't loose on the Electric Railway Line I took a ride the Flying Dutchman once along the Interurban Line Met a little girl from Jubilee along the Interurban Line If you've got the price of fare well then the BCE can get you there They just take a little more time and care on the Electric Railway Line All along the Interurban Line You could hear them motors wail and whine Kickin' up sparks and she's right on time I saw the Duke of Connaught ride on the Electric Railway Line He went down to Lulu Isle. on the Electric Railway Line Well that's your first-rate transportation Getcha to and from your destination So better get lined up at the station, boys for the Electric Railway Line
9.
WATER AT THE BAR Some men take their poisons, while other men abstain I've no dispute with either and could often do the same But there's those who have my sympathy, no matter who they are Those poor pathetic creatures drinking water at the bar Now a man might take a ribbing if he ordered up some tea Some men shout for whiskey though it's not the drink for me I'll have a pint of ale m'boys for no matter near or far There's nothing so peculiar, drinking water at the bar There's those who wouldn't cross the street and them's that takes the pains Some will take fermented fruit, while the others hops & grains From the drunkard to the pious man who'd never tilt a jar There's nothing so peculiar, drinking water at the bar Now I might forgive a man if he by chance had robbed a bank Or a Captain whom through sheer neglect allowed his ship to sink I understand an unfortunate man could be forced to steel a car But there's simply no excuse for drinking water at the bar For there's colas and there's sodas from the rafters to the floor There's juices and there's cocktails and there's cordials galore There's drinks of all descriptions so it strikes me as bizarre Have they no imagination drinking water at the bar? There's those who wouldn't cross the street and them's that takes the pains Some will take fermented fruit, while the others hops & grains From the drunkard to the pious man who'd never tilt a jar There's no one so peculiar, drinking water at the bar Oh it's fine for washing dishes or for bathing now and then Or for keeping little fishes, oh but let us not pretend That unless you set your face on fire with a belching big cigar You won't be taken kindly, drinking water at the bar Let all great folk upon this earth, unite in this decree; For it's nothing short of blasphemous! (I'm sure the Pope agrees) That no matter how remote you thought your chances were so far You'll never get to heaven drinking water at the bar There's those who wouldn't cross the street and them's that takes the pains Some will take fermented fruit, while the others hops & grains From the drunkard to the pious man who'd never tilt a jar There's nothing so peculiar, drinking water at the bar
10.

about

“Ripple in Time” has received the top CD of 2001-2003 award in the Acoustic Ensemble Category from the Indie Acoustic Project!

“Grounded and influenced by Celtic Music, the mists of Canadian history, and decades of musical experience between them, Tiller’s Folly’s new album “A Ripple in Time” is an extraordinary effort by an exceptional group. In this age of fastfood music, even in the folk field, thank goodness for the music of Tiller’s Folly…songs written with respect for tradition and history, played with virtuosity and gusto, that are both fun and thoughtful.”
– Tom May Producer/host “River City Folk”
WFMT Fine Arts Radio Network, Chicago

credits

released June 1, 2002

Bruce Coughlan – vocals, guitar, wood flute & whistles
Laurence Knight – bass, vocals
Nolan Murray – fiddle, mandolin, 5-string banjo
Michael Santshyn– fiddle, mandolin & vocals
Robbie Steininger – electric slide guitar, mandolin & dobro
Phil Robertson – drums
Ian Cameron – fiddle, mandolin & guitar
Chris Stevens – 5-string banjo
Gord Maxwell – vocals
Jack Duncan – percussion
John Ellis – shakers & guitar
All songs composed by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except; Heel & Toe (trad arranged by Nolan Murray & Bruce Coughlan, Muddy Frogwater & An Dram Buidheach – by Nolan Murray (ASCAP)
Produced by Laurence Knight

Engineered by John Ellis & Eric Reed
Pre-production by Ian Cameron
Recorded at Magic Lab Recorders, Surrey, BC
The Factory, Vancouver, BC and Red Stripe Studios, Burnaby, BC
Tracked at NAL Studios, North Vancouver, BC
Mastered by Jamie Sitar at Suitesound, Vancouver, BC

Graphics by Bruce Coughlan

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Bruce Coughlan Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Pacific Canadian-based recording & performing artist, Bruce Coughlan has spent decades making Acoustic Roots Music Music of all descriptions. An expressive singer and rock-solid guitarist, Bruce is driven by one guiding principle: It's all about the Song. ... more

contact / help

Contact Bruce Coughlan

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like A Ripple in Time, you may also like: