About this episode In 'The Thirty-Four Counts,' listeners are transported to a timeless folk ballad that recounts today's pivotal headlines from the USA. Through poetic storytelling reminiscent of wandering bards, the piece weaves current events into a rich tapestry of human experience, highlighting their enduring significance. This narrative invites listeners to see the news through a nostalgic, human lens, fostering reflection on the stories that shape our collective history.
0:00 In a New York room of faded gold0:04 A story for the ages to be told0:09 A former king, with hair of fire0:13 Stood facing down the people's ire0:18 For payments made in hush of night0:22 To keep a secret from the light0:27 Twelve silent faces, plain and true0:31 Weighed the old tale and made it new0:36 Oh, the jury's voice, a heavy sound0:40 Thirty-four times the count was found0:45 Guilty, the whisper, then the shout0:49 Leaving no single room for doubt0:54 The wheel of fortune spins and falls0:58 And history echoes in the halls1:03 A chapter closed, a new one penned1:07 But this old story has no end1:12 The news it flew on wires and waves1:16 To cheering crowds and solemn graves1:21 Half the land cried, 'Justice won!'1:25 Beneath the cold Manhattan sun1:30 The other half, they cursed the stain1:34 And swore they'd raise him up again1:39 Now they wait for a July day1:43 To hear the final price he'll pay1:48 This traveling singer's seen it all1:52 The rise of pride, the stunning fall1:57 I've seen the crowns and courts and pleas2:01 Carried on the prairie breeze2:06 The names all change, the flags they fly2:10 But power's a gleam in a mortal's eye2:15 And the people's voice, a rising tide2:19 Has nowhere left for kings to hide2:24 Oh, the jury's voice, a heavy sound2:28 Thirty-four times the count was found2:33 Guilty, the whisper, then the shout2:37 Leaving no single room for doubt2:42 The wheel of fortune spins and falls2:46 And history echoes in the halls2:51 A chapter closed, a new one penned2:55 But this old story has no end
