JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback Lyric Feedback Forum Aunt Nelly

Aunt Nelly
© Annie

1.)
Aunt Nelly was an outcast,
To Granny, Paw and Maw
She married Paw’s young brother
Became fam-i-ly-in-law.
Uncle Bert died by drownin’,
In nineteen-thirty-four
Nelly was even more alone
Than she ever was before.

CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm
Those country men would never do her harm.
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive
The cops were even known to come by and imbibe
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died. The chorus confused me because the whiskey or idea of the fact 1-she lived on a farm and made whiskey came out of no where...2, who the country men are and why the sheriff would look away is not clear. I think maybe in verse one you could take the last few lines and say something about how she had no skills, no one would hire her, had no transportation, whatever so to make ends meet so she bent the law. and who are the country men? are they men that worked on the farm with her or came for whiskey?

2.)
Aunt Nelly had a baby
Back in twenty-nine
He never met no family
But was a cousin of mine
I would never meet him
‘Caused he drowned in thirty-two
Uncle Bert just followed
What could Aunt Nelly do? so she had two to drown?..though a nice addition to a story it then leads into the making of whiskey which leaves me asking why make whiskey and what does one have to do with the other.

CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm
Those country men would never do her harm.
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive
The cops were even known to come by and imbibe
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died.


3.)
I think the year was sixty-six
When I looked up Aunt Nell
Granny now was gone
And Paw could go to hell
I found a lovely woman
Who greeted me and mine
While men sat in the parlour
Drinkin’ whiskey and wine.

BR)
Aunt Nelly was a lady
I have no doubt she hurt
She ought not have been shut out
Because she married Bert
But Granny was a hypocrite
And passed it on to Paw
I wish I’d known her better
My Aunt Nelly-in-law.

CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm
Those country men would never do her harm.
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive
The cops were even known to come by and imbibe
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died.

Aunt Nelly
© Annee

1.)
Aunt Nelly was an outcast,
To Granny, Paw and Maw
'CAUSE She married Paw’s young brother- I think here you would need to say paw's brother Bert..because then when you later say Uncle Bert, I have to assume this is the guy she married but had to re-read it to even assume it..
Became fam-i-ly-in-law.
Uncle Bert died by drownin’,
In nineteen-thirty-four
Nelly was even more alone
Than she ever was before.

CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm
Those country men would never do her harm.
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive
The cops were even known to come by and imbibe
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died.

2.)
Aunt Nelly had a baby
Back in twenty-nine
He never met no family
But was a cousin of mine
I would never meet him
‘Caused he drowned in thirty-two
Uncle Bert just followed
What could Aunt Nelly do?- I would try to put some of this information into verse one somehow because it sets up the story better as to why she had to make whiskey and the major loss of not just Bert but her son, then have maybe a little pre-chorus saying, how she had no education no way to make ends meet, but she learned through maybe watching Uncle Bert, or a grandpa the secret to good corn whiskey or the special ingredient her Bert put in his homemade whiskey, then go into the chorus, then we know why she made it, maybe if you wanna add the extra about how she learned, it could be from Bert or an old family recipe she learned from her grandpa? just suggestions..
so here is an example of maybe how to do verse one, keep or sweep as they say--
Aunt Nelly was an outcast,
To Granny, Paw and Maw
'CAUSE She married Paw’s brother Bert
Became fam-i-ly-in-law
Uncle Bert died by drownin’, (may not even need to say UNCLE)
trying to save their little boy
broke her heart into a million pieces
stole her happiness and killed her joy
pre-chorus

She knew she had no education
or family to speak of
but she had grit and determination
and her great grandpa's or Bert's secret recipe

[/color]
CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm- I feel the word bootlegged is not needed...I feel that just the word cooked or made the best corn whiskey behind the old barn on her farm, or something like that..to add a little color to it to...to help us picture her place more..as they call it in songwriting, putting more furniture in the room...maybe tell us more colorful things to put us there with her..to make us see in our minds eyes that farm, her making it..just a thought. Keep or sweep
Those country men would never do her harm.still need to say who these country men are..if it was just the ones that came by to drink, it need to be explained or you could go a different route and maybe she had 3 homeless men that helped her for food and rent. she knew they'd never do her harm and maybe trusted them more than any kinfolk she had, I just feel like we need to know a little about who they were, and it also shows though she was treated badly by her kin, she still was charitable to others, by giving these men a place to stay.. then its clear who they are and does not imply that she had men visiting her which by the way you leave it open ended, one might wonder, why did men hang around, was it a sexual thing happening too, along with the drinking...but she felt they wouldn't really harm her... please note, if this is a true story I am not trying to imply anything bad about your family only saying the way it is stated, one might take it that way..[/c
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive-glad you added this back..
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died.


3.)
I think the year was sixty-six
When I looked up Aunt Nell
Granny now was gone
And Paw could go to hell
I found a lovely woman
Who greeted me and mine
While men sat in the parlour
Drinkin’ whiskey and wine.

BR)
Aunt Nelly was a lady
I have no doubt she hurt
She ought not have been shut out
Because she married Bert
But Granny was a hypocrite
And passed it on to Paw
I wish I’d known her better
My Aunt Nelly-in-law.

CH)
Aunt Nelly bootlegged whiskey at her farm
Those country men would never do her harm.
It was the only way Aunt Nelly could survive
The cops were even known to come by and imbibe
The sheriff looked the other way
`Til the day Aunt Nelly died.

Aunt Nelly was an outcast,
To Granny, Paw and Maw
BECAUSE She married Paw’s young brother
AND Became fam-i-ly-in-law.

She ought not have been shut out
Because she married Bert
--------
Perhaps that says it clearly? .....that she was an outcast for marrying Bert. I understood why she was an outcast but felt it was not clear enough for other reasons, the reason for making whiskey, maybe why they felt it was so wrong for her to marry Bert other than him being related or was he related....not sure...the family dynamics are a tiny bit confusing to me..

Bootlegging whiskey was the 'only' way for her to make a living in those days, so she did that after losing her husband and son. I get her son and husband died but it should say about the son and husband in first verse to tell more of the story then tell us maybe WHY it was the only way she could survive...because not ever widow make whiskey so this is why I said maybe say something about her not being educated or how she had no one else to turn to..as suggestions above.

It's all there. The music will slow it down, as maybe you read it too fast? Just telling you how I am, not everyone will be this way but I always read lyrics 2-3 times before I comment on them and go over it as detailed and dedicated as I can to make sure I am not missing something. I never skim over lyrics- especially if they interest me enough to wanna comment on them which yours did because I think you have a cool story here, just felt it needed a little more clarity. You are close to the story, especially if it is a true one, but you have to understand we are not privy to that information you already know. I hope this helps some:) Best of luck with it.

Thanks
Annie