The Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake

Our darling wandered far away
While she was out at play
Lost in the woods she couldn't hear a sound
She was our darling girl
The sweetest thing in all the world
We searched for her but she couldn't be found

I heard the screams of our little girl far away
Hurry Daddy here's an awful dreadful snake
I ran as fast as I could though the dark and dreary woods
But I reached our darling girl too late

Oh, I began to sigh, I knew that soon she'd have to die
For the snake was warning me close by
I held her close to my face she said Daddy kill that snake
It's getting dark tell Mommy goodbye

I heard the screams of our little girl far away
Hurry daddy here's an awful dreadful snake
I ran as fast as I could though the dark and dreary woods
But I reached our darling girl too late

To all parents I must say don't let your children stray away
They need your love to guide them along
Oh, God, I pray we'll see our darling someday
It seems we still can hear her voice around our home

I heard the screams of our little girl far away
Hurry Daddy here's an awful dreadful snake
I ran as fast as I could though the dark and dreary woods
But I reached our darling girl too late

The Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake is an Albert Price song Brian learned from Bill Monroe. Man this is dark and lonesome. Bill recorded this piece in Nashville, July 18, 1952. Brian got to meet Bill, the father of bluegrass, and see him and his 'Bluegrass Boys' many times. Even after a heart attack well into his eighties, he still talked about recently being behind two mules and working his crops.

Brian also remembers Harley Allen singing it on stage at Denton, NC and he says of the experience 'it sent chills up my spine'.

You could almost see the parents crying, weeping and thinking ' ... if only our little girl would have had the forcefield '

Also it could be a tribute to one of his favorite groops of all time, The Magnetic Fields though I'm not real sure about this.

It is said to be definately a tribute however cryptic it may be to the Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand record as was the 'Treble With The Sweet Snake Prize' title.

Some say Snake Forcefield was a Native American with no date of birth and no burial record. He did not go to the sundance and he attended no councils. He wore no ornamentation. His life was probably quite simple but it will remain a mystery...for now.

We have noticed that small groups with campfire tales and sometimes even individuals with carefree minds often come up with their own meanings for the name snake forcefield. One of our favorites so far is 'he was a forgotten bounty hunter in the original George Lucas film Star Wars-A New Hope. We enjoy the different responses and the boy or girl with the best entry may qualify to win a ceramic spoon set from the Tennessee State Fair circa 1961, a good summer indeed. Send your thoughts and other queries to Snake Forcefield 2254 Tabor Road Gladys Virginia 24554 USA Earth.