A Folk Rock Ballad of Gabriel Morison and His Kin
This song captures the epic journey of Gabriel Morison and his family, from Scotland to Ireland, and finally to Pennsylvania. It blends history, resilience, and tradition into a sweeping folk rock anthem, telling their story through rich imagery and a steady, rhythmic build.
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
In the hills of Ayr and Lanark fair, where the thistle meets the sky,
The Morisons stood proud and strong as the years rolled drifting by.
But the winds of change were rising, and a king had laid his hand,
So they sailed across to Ireland’s shore, to farm another land.
[Chorus]
Across the sea and through the land, the Morisons rode free,
From Ayrshire down to Londonderry, bound for destiny.
Through trials deep and rivers wide, they held their heads up high,
With faith so firm and hearts so strong, beneath the Octorara sky.
[Verse 2]
Gabriel, a younger son, knew wealth would pass him by,
So he bid farewell to Ireland’s hills beneath a gray-washed sky.
To Pennsylvania’s rolling fields where the streams ran clear and cold,
He laid his claim in Coleraine, where his story would be told.
[Bridge]
Silver buckles shone so bright on boots that rode the miles,
Through forests deep and fields untamed, they carved their lives with style.
They built their homes, they dug their ditches, worked the land with pride,
And rode on horseback six miles long, with children by their side.
[Chorus]
Across the sea and through the land, the Morisons rode free,
From Ayrshire down to Londonderry, bound for destiny.
Through trials deep and rivers wide, they held their heads up high,
With faith so firm and hearts so strong, beneath the Octorara sky.
[Verse 3]
An elder in the church he stood, his faith a guiding light,
Through bitter cold and harvest gold, through morning into night.
He fought to tame the wild land, dug trenches strong and deep,
And in the ground of Octorara, he found his final sleep.
[Outro]
Now the past it shapes the present, though the silver’s changed to steel,
The blood runs deep, the echoes speak, the names are just as real.
So raise a glass to Gabriel’s road, the journey he made right,
For across the sea and through the land, still burns the Morison light.