Hurry Sundown

I was traveling down memory lane one day and thought of a song I heard some years ago called “Hurry Sundown” sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary. There was an Otto Preminger movie of about the same time by the same name, but those two really had nothing to do with each other. The flick was set in the late 1940’s in the South and was a rather forgettable thing, in my opinion. The song…was not.
I’ll not comment a lot on the lyrics. Nor do I know a lot about why the song was written or what any background “meaning” might be attached to the song. I just think it’s a compelling lyric and equally compelling tune sung by a very compelling three-voice trio that grabs and just won’t let go anytime soon.
I assume the song was written by one of the group, or perhaps all collaborated. I cannot find on the Internet any acknowledgement of the author(s) and composer(s) of the song. For my lack of giving proper credit below, I am sorry. I tried.
You can hear the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_YDQ4Yyqx4


My seed is sown now, my field is plowed;
My flesh is bone now, my back is bowed.

Refrain:
So hurry, sundown, be on your way,
And hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day.
Hurry down, sundown, be on your way;
Weave me tomorrow out of today.

Tomorrow’s breeze now, blows clear and loud;
I’m off my knees now, I’m standing proud.

(refrain)

My sorrow’s song, now, just must break through,
That brave new dawn, now, long overdue.

(refrain)

Hurry down, sundown, get thee be gone,
Get lost in the sunrise, of a new dawn.
Hurry down, sundown, take the old day,
Wrap it in new dreams, send it my way!
Send it my way!
Send it my way!