Author: Jim

Blue Ridge Mountain Blues

Jim,

—Cliff Hess, a.k.a. Roy B. Carson, 1924

When I was young and in my prime
I left my home in Caroline
Now all I do is sit and pine
For all the folks I left behind

Chorus:
I've got those Blue Ridge Mountain blues
I want to hear those hound dogs bay
I want to hunt the possum where the corn tops blossom
In that Blue Ridge far away

I see a window with a light
I see two heads of snowy white
I seems to hear them both recite
Where is my wandering boy tonight

Chorus:
I've got the blue ridge mountain blues
I want to hear those hound dogs bay
I'm gonna hunt the possum while the corn tops blossom
In that Blue Ridge far away

I'll always do right by my Ma
I'll always do right by my Pa
I'll hang around that cabin door
No work, no worry anymore

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
And want to stand right here and say
My grip is packed to travel, and I'll be scratchin' gravel
To that Blue Ridge far away

Bill Clifton's Lyrics:

When I was young and in my prime
I left my home in Caroline
Now all I do is sit and pine
For all the folks I left behind

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
And I stand right here to say
My grip is packed to travel and I'm scratchin' gravel
For that Blue Ridge far away

I'm gonna stay right by my Pa
And I'm gonna do right by my Ma
I'll hang around that cabin door
No work or worry anymore

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
Gonna see my old dog Trey
Gonna hunt the possum where the corn tops blossom
On that Blue Ridge far away

Now I see a window with a light
I see two heads of snowy white
I seems I hear them both recite
Where is my wandering boy tonight

Chorus:
I've got the Blue Ridge Mountain blues
And I stand right here to say
Every day I'm counting 'til I reach that mountain
On that blue ridge far away

Pop Stoneman's version:

When I was young and in my prime
I left my home in Caroline
Now all I do is sigh and pine
For the dear old folks I left behind

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
And I stand right here and say
My grip is packed to travel, and I'm scratchin' gravel
For the Blue Ridge far away.

I see two heads of snowy white
I see a window with a light
I seem to hear them both recite
Where is my wandering girl tonight

I'm gonna do right by my Ma
I'm gonna do right by my Pa
I'll hang around their cabin door
No work or worry anymore

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
Want to see my old dog Trey
Gonna hunt the possum where the corn tops blossom
On the Blue Ridge far away

Chorus:
I've got them Blue Ridge Mountain blues
And I stand right here and say
My grip is packed to travel, and I'm scratchin' gravel
For the Blue Ridge far away.

Verse:

I V V I
I V V I

Chorus:

I V V I
I IV V I




Blink of an Eye

Jim,

—Bob Amos

Years ago, when I was young
Never walked, when I could run
I thought very little of the path I was on

Chorus:
Don't be fooled (don't be fooled) by Father Time
You may think (you may think) it's a-creepin' by
Life is over, in the blink of an eye

Now the gray is slippin' in
You may fool yourself again
You're playin' a game that you never can win

Chorus

Stop and take the time my friend
Make it right bеfore the end
You know it's comin', but you nеver know when

Chorus

Verse & Chorus:

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

Your Cheatin' Heart

Jim,

—Hank Williams, Sr.

Your cheatin' heart will make you weep
You'll cry and cry and try to sleep
But sleep won't come the whole night through
Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Chorus:
When tears come down like fallin' rain
You'll toss around and call my name
You'll walk the floor the way I do
Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Your cheatin' heart will pine someday
And crave the love you threw away
The time will come when you'll be blue
Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Chorus

Verse:

I IV V I
I IV V I

Chorus:

IV I II V
I IV V I

Y'all Come!

Jim,

—Arlie Duff

When you live in the country everybody is your neighbor
On this one thing you can rely
They'll all come to see you, and never never leave you
Saying y'all come to see us by and by

Chorus:
Y'all come, y'all come, oh you all come to see us when you can
Y'all come, y'all come, oh you all come to see us now and then

The kinfolks're comin' they're comin' by the dozen
Eatin' everything from soup to hay
And right after dinner they ain't looking any thinner
And here's what you'll hear them say

Chorus

Now grandma's a wishing they'd come out to kitchen
And help her do the dishes right away
But they all start leavin' even though she's a grievin'
You can still hear grandma say

Chorus

Verse & Chorus:

I IV I V
I IV I – V I


West Virginia My Home

Jim,

—Hazel Dickens

Chorus:
West Virginia, oh my home.
West Virginia, where I belong.
In the dead of the night, in the still and the quiet I slip away like a bird in flight
Back to those hills, the place that I call home.

It's been years now since I left there
And this city life's about got the best of me.
I can't remember why I left so free what I wanted to do, what I wanted to see,
But I can sure remember where I come from.

Chorus

Well I paid the price for the leavin'
And this life I have is not one I thought I'd find.
Well let me live, love, let my cry, when I go just let me die
Among the friends who'll remember when I'm gone.

Chorus:

*   Final Verse:
Home, home, home. I can see it so clear in my mind.
Home, home, home. I can almost smell the honeysuckle vines.
In the dead of the night, in the still and the quiet I slip away like a bird in flight
Back to those hills, the place that I call home.

Verse and Chorus:

I IV V I
I – I7 IV I – V I

*Final Verse:

IV I I V
IV I I V
I – I7 IV I – V I

Tiger By The Tail

Jim,

—Buck Owens

Chorus:
I've got a tiger by the tail, it's plain to see
I won't be much when you get through with me
Well, I'm losing weight and turnin' mighty pale
Looks like I've got a tiger by the tail

I thought the day I met you, you were meek as a lamb
Just the kind to fit my dreams and plans
Now, the pace we're livin' takes the wind from my sails
And it looks like I've got a tiger by the tail

Chorus

Well, every night you drag me where the bright lights are found
There ain't no way to slow you down
I'm about as helpless as a leaf in a gale
And it looks like I've got a tiger by the tail

Chorus

Verse:

I IV V I
I IV V I

This Land is Your Land

Jim,

—Woody Guthrie

This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
And I saw above me that endless skyway
I saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me

I roamed and rambled, and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
All around me, a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

When the sun come shining, then I was strolling
And the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.*

In the squares of the city, In the shadow of a steeple;
By the relief office, I'd seen my people.
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

*(alternate)
There was a big, high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said "Private Property"
But on the backside, it didn't say nothing
This land was made for you and me

Verse:

IV I V I
IV I V I

Take This Hammer

Jim,

Chorus:
Take this hammer, carry it to the captain ( x3 )
Tell him I'm a-gone, just tell him I'm a gone

If he asks you, was I running ( x3 )
Tell him I was flying, tell him I was flying

If he asks you, was I laughing ( x3 )
Tell him I was crying, tell him I was crying

I don't want no cornbread and molasses ( x3 )
It hurts my pride, it hurts my pride

I don't want these your cold iron shackles ( x3 )
It hurts my leg, well it hurts my leg

Take this hammer, carry it to the captain ( x3 )
Tell him I'm a-gone, just tell him I'm a gone

Verse & Chorus:

I V V I
I IV I – V I



Shuckin' the Corn

Jim,

Some Old Day

Jim,

—Earl "Jack" Rouse, but copyrighted by Flatt & Scruggs

I've been workin' out in the rain
Tied to the dirty old ball and chain
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day
Some sweet day the'll turn me loose
From this dirty old calaboose
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day

Chorus:
Some old day
You'll wait for me and pray
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day
Some sweet day they'll turn me loose
From this dirty old calaboose
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day

Oh dear mother I've hurt you so
I've been cruel to you I know
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day
Tell my brother My sister and dad
Tell the dear friends that I've had
Oh dear mother I'll come home some old day

Verse:

I I7 IV I
I II V V
I I7 IV I
I IV – V I I

Chorus:

IV IV IV – I I
I II V V
I I7 IV I
I IV – II I I