Songs:Gone But Not Forgotten (103684)

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Contents 1 Trivia, story behind the song, etc. 2 Lyrics 2.1 for version performed by Lui Collins on Closer (#103684) 3 Listener comments about Gone But Not Forgotten (103684) 4 Tags

Trivia, story behind the song, etc.

Written in and for the Oberlin Village Cemetery, a freed slave graveyard in Raleigh, North Carolina. Thanks to Bill Padgett for taking me there. See my website’s December 2000 Musings for the full story. Based on my visit to the Oberlin Village Cemetery, a freed slave graveyard in Raleigh, North Carolina. Lui Collins

The following epitaphs are quoted in my song:

“Gone to a brighter home where grief cannot come” from the gravestone of Jerry Hinton who died May 20, 1920, age 110 years

“Where loyal hearts and true stand ever in the light all rapture through and through in God’s most holy sight” from the gravestone of Edward T. Hester who died February 26, 1929

“Gone but not forgotten” from the gravestones of Alonza Haywood, 1870-1958 and Ophelia Sheppard, October 6, 1905 - September 4, 1906

John Dunston, buried in the Oberlin Village Cemetery, died on November 20, 1894 at the age of 66. Not knowing his occupation, I placed Dunston in the song as a brickmaker, in honor of the many African-American brickmakers whose contributions to the architecture of the period can be seen throughout the Raleigh area. Please see my December 2000 Musings for more information about the cemetery and the writing of this song.

Lyrics

for version performed by Lui Collins on Closer (#103684)

John Dunston rose before the dawn
      Gone to a brighter home
He burned the kiln till past sundown
      Where grief cannot come

Gone but not forgotten

He slaved for his master half his span
      Gone to a brighter home
The other half a freed man
      Where grief cannot come

Gone but not forgotten

Oberlin Village in brambled row
      Gone to a brighter home
Is tended by four black crows
      Where grief cannot come

Gone but not forgotten

In a sunken grave John Dunston lies
      Gone to a brighter home
As city traffic rumbles by
      Where grief cannot come
Gone but not forgotten

Soft shade of oak and maple tall
      Gone to a brighter home
O’er shadowed by a towering wall
      Where grief cannot come

Gone but not forgotten

Where loyal hearts and true
      Stand ever in the light
All rapture through and through
      In God’s most holy sight

Gone but not forgotten

December 6, 2000
Raleigh, North Carolina

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Banjo tuning mountain modal: gDGCD
capoed 3rd fret (4 strings) w/ 5th string tuned to Bb

Listener comments about Gone But Not Forgotten (103684)

Tags

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Gone But Not Forgotten by Lui Collins SONG
on the album Closer Buy Lui Collins at CD-Baby Any album (including Closer)	Request this song: Gone But Not Forgotten (Only logged in and authenticated users can make requests.) Overall rating: (12 votes) Your rating: You have to login to give your opinion about songs. Length: 3:08 Times played: 15 People hearing: 512 Times requested: 8 First played: Oct 30th, 2006 Last played: Nov 17th, 2008 Previously played: Sep 10th, 2008 Song ID#: 103684	Listener rankings: 5 stars=Rubber Soul ♦ Kazookid ♦ Mert 4 stars=dolcefarniente ♦ 12-stringer ♦ CooleyBufo ♦ Kimchifox ♦ Ray ♦ Scobey 3 stars=Doctordoug ♦ Chili ♦ JohnA