Chestnut Grove
Legacy of Chinese Chestnuts: A Melodic Journey Through Generations
Lyrics
Well way back now in old West Virginia
Referring to the past in West Virginia
Stood an orchard proud and tall
Describing a proud and tall orchard
And way back in 1910
Referring to the year 1910
My Grandad only paid 10 dollars for it all
Grandfather purchased the orchard for $10
Oh for these
Expressing ownership or attachment
Good few acres
Referring to a few acres of land
Of some old
Describing the type of chestnuts
Chinese chestnuts
Specifying the kind of chestnuts
They were made strong
Highlighting the strength of the chestnuts
More precious to me
Expressing sentimental value
Than any red cedar
Comparing the chestnuts' value to red cedar
Well yes indeed Grandad was a beekeeper
Grandfather's beekeeping activity
Had himself about 75 hives
Number of bee hives owned by the grandfather
I can still hear the honey-sweet sound of their wings
Remembering the sound of bees' wings
Caught high in the leaves
Bees flying high among the leaves
I can still see them if I close my eyes
Recalling the memory with eyes closed
And Grandad used to sell them all the way down to Richmond
Grandfather's selling of honey down to Richmond
Yeah there's no going back there now
Impossibility of returning to that time
They've all died from the sickness,
Loss of the bees due to sickness
Or been cut down
Orchard trees being cut down
I'm the only one
Current sole caretaker of the orchard
I'm the only one that keeps them now
Emphasizing sole responsibility for the orchard
I'm the only one
Reiterating the sole caretaker role
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