Tag: Favorites

Panhandle Country

Jim,

Letter From My Darlin

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

I can't answer her letter
For she left me no address
You should know my little darling
You left my poor heart in distress

Chorus:
I got a letter from my darling
She said she hated to go
It broke my heart the words she wrote me
She closed by saying I love you so

She wrote the words she knew would hurt me
She said I never could be true
I've tried I've tried my little darling
To prove my love was just for you

Her letter meant goodbye forever
Although we'll have each other's hearts
Our love will fade away in sadness
Precious one why did we have to part

Verse and Chorus:

I I I V
I I I-V I

 

You'll Find Her Name Written There

Jim,

—Harold Hensley

No more no more she'll walk this earth
Her face like a beautiful flower
But all alone is a marble stone
You'll find her name written there

A new voice rings where the angel sings
A voice so pure and so fair
And if you look in the heavenly book
You'll find her name written there

I'm all alone since the call of fate
Left me in the deepest despair
And if you'll wait at the pearly gates
You'll find her name written there

I breathe her name into the air
It goes and I know not where
But if you look to the heart of a friend
You'll find her name written there

Verse*:

I VII I I
I VII V V
I VII I IV
I V I I

*Monroe modulates last verse up a full step

 

You're Still On My Mind

Jim,

—Jeff Daniels 1959

The jukebox is playin' a honky—tonk song
One more, I keep sayin', and then I'll go home
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

The people are dancin' and havin' their fun
And I sit here thinkin' about what you have done
To try and forget you, I've turned to the wine
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Alone and forsaken, so blue I could cry
I just sit here drinkin' till the bottle runs dry
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Verse:

I I IV IV
V V I I
I I IV IV
V V V I

 

You Rascal You

Jim,

—Sam Theard 1931

I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!
When you dead in your grave,
No more women will you crave.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

I trust you in my home, you rascal, you. [x2]
I trust you in my home,
You wouldn't leave my wife alone.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

I fed you since last fall, you rascal, you. [x2]
I fed you since last fall,
Then you got your ashes hauled.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You asked my wife to wash your clothes, you rascal, you. [x2]
You asked my wife to wash your clothes
And something else I suppose.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You know you done me wrong, you rascal, you. [x2]
You know you done me wrong,
You done stole my wife and gone.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You asked my wife for a meal, you rascal, you! [x2]
You asked my wife for a meal,
And something else you tried to steal.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

Please don't let me find you, rascal, you! [x2]
Please don't let me find you
'Cause you'll leave this world behind you.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

Ain't no use to run, you rascal, you. [x2]
Ain't no use to run,
I done bought a Gatling gun,
And you still having your fun, you rascal, you!

I'm gonna kill you just for fun, you rascal, you! [x2]
I'm gonna kill you just for fun;
The buzzards gonna have you when I'm done.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You done messed with my wife, you rascal, you! [x2]
You done messed with my wife,
And I'm gonna take your life.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you

Even more verses:

I'll be standing on the corner full of gin
When they bring your dead body in

When they bury you six feet deep
No more fried chicken can you eat,

I trust you in my home,
You wouldn't leave my wife alone.

Ain't gonna be tears in nobody's eyes
When they drag your sorry butt by,

You know you done me wrong,
You done stole my wife and gone.

Verse:

I V I I
I I V V
I I7 IV IV
I V I I


Who Will Sing for Me?

Jim,

Oft I sing for my friends
When death's cold form I see
When I reach my journey's end
Who will sing for me

Chorus:
I wonder (I wonder) who
Will sing (will sing) for me
When I come to the cross that silent sea
Who will sing for me

When crowds shall gather round
And look down on me
Will they turn and walk away
Or will they sing one song for me

Verse:

I I IV I
I IV I – V I

Chorus:

V I V I
I IV (stop) – I V – I

 

Verse:

I I IV I
I I II7 – V I

Chorus:

V I V I
I IV (stop) – I V – I

The Great Pretender

Jim,

—Buck Ram (The Platters' manager) 1955

Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such, I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell.

Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I play the game; but to my real shame
You've left me to dream all alone.

Bridge:
Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal.

Oh yes I'm the great pretender
Just laughing and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around.

¾

Verse:

I V I I7
IV IV I I
IV V I IV
I V I I

Bridge:

IV IV I I
IV IV I V

 

Tennessee Waltz

Jim,

—Pee Wee King

I was dancing with my darling to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced him to my loved one
And while they were dancing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darling the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

¾

I III7 I7 IV
I VIm II V
I III7 I7 IV
I V I I
I III7 IV I
I VIm II V
I III7 I7 IV
I V I I

 

Stealin'

Jim,

—Gus Cannon

Put your arms around me like a circle `round the sun
I want you to love me baby like my easy rider done.
You don't believe I love you, look at the fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinkin' look at he hole I'm In

Chorus:
Stealin' stealin' pretty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

Well I got a little woman `bout my height and size
Now she's a married woman, sees me once in a while
If you don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been
If you don't think I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in.

With good whiskey you stay drunk all the time,
Stay drunk baby 'cause it eases my mind.
If you don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been,
If you don't think I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in.

Verse:

I I IV IV
I I I V-I

Chorus:

I I IV IV
I V I I

 

Stay Away From Me

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

Stay away from me, you're causin' me trouble
It's been that way since from the start
While you're away, you have another waitin'
Stay away from me, you're breakin' my heart.

Chorus:
Oh the sky is blue, and the sun is shining
And autumn leaves are turning brown
Oh I loved you so, but I can't have you
Stay away from me, stay out of town.

Oh the sky is blue, and the sun is shining
And autumn leaves are turning brown
Oh I loved you so, but I can't have you
Stay away from me, stay out of town.

Verse:

I IV I V
I IV I-V I

Chorus:

IV I I V
I IV I-V I