Turn of the Century

I'm going crazy about a CD I picked up this weekend -- the second volume of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," the second recording session, from 1988-89. Everybody's on here, from Johnny and June to the Johns (Denver and Prine) to Ricky Skaggs and Emmylou Harris, Michael Martin Murphey and Jimmy Martin. This is music to heal your soul by -- the kind they don't play on the radio anymore.

Here's the lyrics to my favorite song on the album, "Turn of the Century." I guess I'm in a contemplative, "better life ahead" mood this weekend. Too bad things didn't quite turn out like this. Happy Easter, y'all!

TURN OF THE CENTURY
(J. Fred Knoblock and Dan Tyler)

There'll be flying boats, and condos with moats;
Cultivated oceans, floating cities in the sky.
Living underneath a bubble;
No more toil and trouble
Singin' 'bout that sweet ole by and by.

We'll all have lots of money
That we won't have to spend;
You'll be given everything
When everyone's your friend
Hanging out together
In picture perfect weather
This time 'round the party never ends.

Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you just how great life’s gonna be
At the turn,
The turn of the century.

We won't have no TV preachers
To ask how much we gave
We won't need no TV preachers,
See, by then, we'll all be saved
No more fighting for a country
No child will go hungry
We'll be smiling from the cradle to the grave.

Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you just how great life’s gonna be
At the turn,
The turn of the century.