Author: Jim

Roll On, Buddy

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

I'm going to that east Cairo (Kay-ro)
I'm going to that east Cairo
I'm going to the east, I'm going to the west
I'm going to the one that I love best

Chorus:
Roll on, buddy, roll on
Roll on, buddy, roll on
You wouldn't roll so slow if you knew what I know
So roll on, buddy, roll on

I've got a good woman just the same
I've got a good woman just the same
My woman just the same says she's gonna change her name
I've got a good woman just the same

My home is down in Tennessee
My home is down in Tennessee
In Tennessee that's where I long to be
Way down in sunny Tennessee
 

Foghorn String Band:
I wish I was a little honey bee
I wish I was a little honey bee
If I was a little honey bee I'd be as sweet as I can be
I'd roll on buddy, roll on

Chorus:
Roll on buddy roll on
Roll on buddy roll on
You wouldn't roll so slow if you knew what I know
And that's roll on buddy roll on

I wish I was a little turtle dove
I wish I was a little turtle dove
If I was a little turtle dove I'd be so full of love
I'd roll on buddy, roll on

I wish I was a lizard in the spring
I wish I was a lizard in the spring
If I was a lizard in the spring I'd hear my true love sing
I'd roll on buddy, roll on

Verse & Chorus

I I IV I
IV I I – V I


Ramblin' Jack Elliot's version:

Chorus:
Roll on buddy roll on
Roll on buddy roll on
You wouldn't roll so slow if you knew what I know
Roll on buddy roll on

I got a home in Tennessee[x2]
I got a home down in sunny Tennessee
And it's roll on buddy, roll on

Kimpy wants a nine dollar shawl [x2]
I come over the hill with a twenty dollar bill
And ask baby where you been so long

Baby where you been so long
Yeah baby where you been so long
Well I been in the pen with the rough and rowdy men
And asked baby where you been so long

And I never liked no railroad man
I never liked no railroad man
'Cause a railroad man will kill you if he can
Drink down your blood like wine

Baby where'd you stay last night
Baby where'd you stay last night
Well I slept in the pen with the rough and rowdy men
Baby where'd you stay last night

Roll on buddy roll on
Roll on buddy roll on
You wouldn't roll so slow if you knew what I know
And that's roll on buddy roll on


Down by the Riverside

Jim,

I'm gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside,
Gonna lay down my burden, down by the riverside,
Ain't gonna study war no more

Chorus:
I ain't gonna study war no more, I ain't gonna study war no more,
Study war no more,
Ain't gonna study war no more, ain't gonna study war no more,
Study war no more

I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield…
I'm gonna put on my starry crown…
I'm gonna shake hands with every man…

Make up your own verses, or try these:

I'm gonna take all of my brethren…
I'm gonna lay down my heavy load…
I'm gonna shake hands with every man…
I'm gonna put on my long white robe…
I'm gonna put on my golden slippers…
I'm gonna stick my sword in the golden sand…
I'm gonna talk with the Prince of Peace…
I'm gonna cross the river Jordan…
I'm gonna climb the road to heaven…
I'm gonna walk down that road of peace…

Verse:

I I V I   :|

Chorus:

IV I V I – I7
IV I V I




Won't You Come and Sing For Me

Jim,

—Hazel Dickens

I feel the shadows now upon me
And the angels beckon to me
Before I go dear sisters and brothers
Won't you come and sing for me

Chorus:
Sing those hymns we sang together
In that plain little church with the benches all worn
How dear to my heart how precious the moments
We stood shaking hands and singing a song

My burden is heavy my way has grown weary
I have traveled a road that is long
And it would warm this old heart my dear brother
If you'd come and sing me one song

In my home beyond the dark river
Your sweet faces no more I will see
Until we meet where there's no more sad parting
Won't you come and sing for me

Verse:

V IV – I IV I – V
IV I V IV – I

Chorus:

IV I V IV – I
IV I V IV – I


This Train

Jim,

—Woody Guthrie version

This train is bound for glory, this train.
This train is bound for glory, this train.
This train is bound for glory,
Nobody rides but the righteous and the holy.
This train is bound for glory, this train.

(all verses follow same format as above.)

This train don't carry no gamblers, this train…
No crap shooters or midnight ramblers…

This train don't carry no jokers, this train…
No high-toned women and cigar smokers…

This train don't carry no liars, this train…
No false pretenders, no back-biters…

This train don't carry no smokers, this train…
Two bit liars, small time jokers…

This train don't carry no con men, this train…
No wheeler dealers, here and gone men…

This train don't carry no rustlers, this train…
Sidestreet walkers, two bit hustlers…

This train goes on to glory, this train…
No one could ride it but the pure and holy…

Verse:

I I I V
I IV I – V I




Armadillo Breakdown

Jim,



I Know What It Means to Be Lonesome

Jim,

—James Brockman, James Kendis, Nat Vincent, 1919

Chorus:
I know what it means to be lonesome
I know what it means to be blue
I know what it means to be lonesome in dreams
When there's no one that's lonesome for you *

Well my baby left me this morning
As the clock was striking four
The sweet smiling face of my darling
I won't ever see her no more

Oh I've cried and I've cried since we parted
No one knows what I've been through
I'd give all I own just to have you back home
I'm lonesome, lonesome for you

* Many chorus last lines have evolved:
   When there is someone there with you
   When there's no one there with/but you
   When there's no one at home but you

Verse & Chorus:

I VI(7) II(7) V(7)  :|
Original 1919 version:

…and it was a waltz!

I never knew, I would miss you,
Until you went away,
Now I can see, what you were to me,
My heart just seems to say:

Chorus:
I know what it means to be lonesome,
I know how it feels to be blue,
I know what it means to long in my dreams, for someone, for someone,
I've sighed and I've cried since we parted,
There's no one knows what I've gone through;
I'd give all that I own, just to have you back home,
I'm so lonesome, so lonesome for you.

Hope seems to say,
There'll come a day
Your smiles again I'll see,
My love is true, and you know it too,
Come back, come back to me.




Remington Ride

Jim,



Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down

Jim,

—Merle Haggard

Each night I leave the barroom when it's over
Not feeling any pain at closing time
But tonight your memory found me much too sober
Couldn't drink enough to keep you off my mind

Chorus:
Tonight the bottle let me down
And let your memory come around
The one true friend I thought I'd found
Tonight the bottle let me down

I've always had a bottle I could turn to
And lately I've been turnin' every day
But the wine don't take effect the way it used to
And I'm hurtin' in an old familiar way

Chorus
Tag: Tonight the bottle let me down

Verse & Chorus:

I I I V
V V V I

Devil's Little Angel

Jim,

—Hargis (Don) Kelley

Devil's little Angel please leave me alone
Don't make me love you know that it's wrong
Devil's little Angel please go away
For I'd only love you more each day

Chorus
I'll love you my darling as long as I live
If I could but hold you oh what would I give
Devil's little Angel you must be unkind
For God don't make Angels true love can't find

You can't understand dear my feeling for you
I know you'd be honest if you really knew
The torture I'm suffering God only knows
So if you don't love me please let me go

3/4

Verse:

I V V I
I IV I   V-I I

Chorus:

V I V I
I IV I   V-I I


Chord Spellings

Jim,

Chord formulas refer to scale degrees of notes. See Nashville Numbering for more on this.

Chord Name Formula Example (Spelling)
Major 1 3 5 C: C E G
Suspended 1 4 5 Csus: C F G
Major add Ninth 1 3 5 9 Cadd9: C E G D
Minor 1 ♭3 5 Cm: C E♭ G
Augmented 1 3 ♯5 Caug: C E G♯
Major Sixth 1 3 5 6 С6: C E G A
Major Sixth add Ninth 1 3 5 6 9 C6/9: C E G A D
Minor Sixth 1 ♭3 5 6 Cm6: C E♭ G A
Minor Sixth add Ninth 1 ♭3 5 6 9 Cm6/9: C E♭ G A D
Seventh 1 3 5 ♭7 C7: C E G B♭
Seventh Suspended 1 4 5 ♭7 C7sus: C F G B♭
Minor Seventh 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 Cm7: C E♭ G B♭
Diminished Seventh 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 Cdim: C E♭ G♭ B♭♭ (A)
Major Seventh 1 3 5 7 Cmaj7: C E G B
Minor Major Seventh 1 ♭3 5 7 Cm(maj7): C E♭ G B
Ninth 1 3 5 ♭7 9 C9: C E G B♭ D
Minor Ninth 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 Сm9: C E♭ G B♭D
Major Ninth 1 3 5 7 9 Cmaj9: C E G B D
Eleventh 1 3* 5 ♭7 9 11 C11: C E* G B♭ D F
Minor Eleventh 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11 Cm11: C E♭ G B♭ D F
Thirteenth 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11* 13 C13: C E G B♭ D F* A
Minor Thirteenth 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11* 13 Cm13: C E♭ G B♭ D F* A

* indicates optional note.
Double flats ♭♭ lower note pitch by one tone.