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Grandma's Penny Sale (Give a Prayer for the Farmer)

from Run for Freedom by Larry Long

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lyrics

Grandma’s Penny Sale
(Give a Prayer for the Farmer)

Grandma was born and raised
on a farm in Iowa.
When I was young, she would pray
for those who work the soil.
Oldest one of seven kids.
Helped her mom raise each of them.
Shucking corn and slopping pigs,
chickens in the yard.
Fetching water from the well
in two five-gallon pails.
Carving out a well-worn trail
to the kitchen door.

Give a prayer tonight for the farmer.
Give a word of thanks for their labor.

Days of drought, sleet, and hail.
Grandma would often tell
me about the Penny Sale
that saved the family farm.
Friends and neighbors gathered round
buyers who came from town.
Peacefully they stripped them down
naked in the barn.
Upon a bale of hay they sat.
Nothing on but their hats.
I can still hear Grandma’ laugh,
speaking of those times.

Give a prayer tonight for the farmer.
Give a word of thanks for their labor.

Standing by the auction man.
Taking bids on her land.
Grandma looked down at her hands
dryer than the soil.
A penny here, a nickel there,
celebration filled the air.
Grandma’ raised her eyes in prayer.
Thankful for that day.
When the auctioneer was done.
The country folk they had won.
Without spilling any blood
they saved the family farm.

Give a prayer tonight for the farmer.
Give a word of thanks for their labor.

Yesterday I read the news
about a family farmer, who
was told that he might lose
the title to his land.
Just like this story told,
neighbors came to his home,
and stopped it from being sold
with a ‘Penny Sale’.

Give a prayer tonight for the farmer.
Give a word of thanks for their labor.

When I laid the paper down,
thoughts of Grandma’ circled round.
Filled me with that peaceful sound
of her voice again.

Give a prayer tonight for the farmer.
Give a word of thanks for their labor.

Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long Publishing 1982; renewed 2023 | BMI

credits

from Run for Freedom, released June 21, 2023
Larry Long: Lead Vocal, Guitar
Ginger Commodore: Vocal
Prudence Johnson: Vocal
Billy Peterson: Bass
Peter Ostroushko: Violin

Grandma's Penny Sale
(Give a Prayer for the Farmer)
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long Publishing 1982; renewed 2023 | BMI

Produced by Marian Moore & Larry Long

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all rights reserved

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about

Larry Long image

Larry Long Minneapolis, Minnesota

Larry Long is a chip off the old block of American hardwoods, a spoken
word poet, a singer-songwriter, rouser, seeker, storyteller and
conservationist. Well traveled across the world, wherever he
goes, he celebrates people and places in song.

Larry Long is a recipient of the prestigious In The Spirit of Crazy Horse Award for his work in forgotten communities.

www.larrylong.org ... more

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