My favorite johnsmith song is "Safe Home." I found a recording here:https://www.johnsmithmusic.com/cdslisten/s/safe_home. John is a Wisconsin boy (born in Iowa, though) who lives near the Mississippi River. Many of his songs have an Irish feel to them.
We've used this song to close our song circle in Auburn, California, for the last year. I think John was blown away when we all sang his song with him at the end of his house concert, and we knew every word. He was delightful. He just seems like such a nice guy.
-Joe-
SAFE HOME
(johnsmith)
We've come through the valleys, we've come through the fields,
We've crossed over rivers, to find ourselves here.
We sang songs of sorrow, we sang songs of love,
Let's sing one more together, to send ourselves off.
CHORUS
Safe home, safe home, safe home will you go.
May the light of the moon smile down on your road.
Safe home, safe home, safe home will you go,
Until I next see you, safe home will you go.
We've laid down our worries, our troubles, our fears,
Like shells on the strand, washed by laughter and tears.
But the tide has returned now, to lift us away,
Back to our houses and families we pray.
CHORUS
Well, the fiddles are quiet, the whistles all still,
Only echoes remain from the jigs and the reels.
The dance floor is empty, our farewells all said.
Now it's time to be going, till we all meet again.
CHORUS (twice)
Until I next see you, safe home will you go.