—Bill Monroe, and John Hartford

Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues
On the Lakeview Highway, that's the riverman's home
And home is where the heart is and he's all alone

Chorus:
But when he hears that steamboat whistle blow
He can feel that river in his soul
Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues

Three thousand miles old riverman goes
Down the Mississippi River and the Ohio
The Missouri and the Cumberland, Tennessee and Illinois
Monongahela, Allegheny and the big Conoy

Chorus 2:
But you just watch that old riverman's eyes
He always knows when the river's going to rise
Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues
He's working on the river with the riverman blues

Verse

Im	Im	Im	Im
IV-VII	VII-V	Im	Im
Im	Im	Im	Im
IV-VII	VII-V	Im	Im

Chorus

IV	IV	I	I
IV	IV	V	V
Im	Im	Im	Im
IV-VII	VII-V	Im	Im

 

—Charlie Monroe

Chorus:
No home (no home) no home (no home)
No place to pillow my head
The days seems so sad and the nights are so long
Since daddy and mother are dead

Once I was happy a heart free from care
Had a daddy and a momma so sweet
Dolls and the doggies and playthings so dear
And stockings and shoes on my feet

But now through this world I must wonder alone
Begging for pennies and bread
For I have no daddy or momma or home
No place to pillow my head

Chorus

My daddy is resting far over the sea
In the fields were the poppies peek through
Marked by the cross that shines with green leaves
Beside his comrades so true

His soul is gone to the Father above
May slumber be peaceful and sweet
The battle is over for him over there
The bugle has sounded reprieve

Chorus

3/4
Verse

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

Chorus (after two verses)

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

 

—Bill Monroe

John Henry was a little colored boy
You could hold him on the palm of your hand
And his papa cried out this lonesome farewell
Son gonna be a steel drivin'man Lord Lord
Son gonna be a steel drivin'man

John Henry went upon the mountain
Looked down on the other side
Lord the mountain was so tall
John Henry was so small
He laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord
He laid down his hammer and he cried

John Henry walked to the top
Had his captain by his side
The last words that John Henry said
Bring me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Lord Lord
Bring a cool drink of water 'fore I die

Talk about John Henry as much as you please
Say and do all that you can
Never was born in these united states
Nonesuch a steel drivin'man Lord Lord
Nonesuch a steel drivin'man

John Henry told his captain
I want to go to bed
Fix me a pallet of straw to lay down
Got money roarin'in my head Lord Lord
Got money roarin'in my head

Verse

I	I	I	V
I	I	I	I	I  V-I

 

—The Monroe Brothers

Chorus:
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
I'm homeward bound (I'm homeward bound), where I'll be crowned (where I'll be crowned)
When this train arrives in Heaven, there with Christ I will remain
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

Since my sins have been forgiven, I'll be on my journey home
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
Jesus gives me transportation, I'll go home with Him to reign
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

I have left all sinful pleasure, and engaged in songs and prayer
Since Jesus came (since Jesus came) and paid my fare (and paid my fare)
Now I'm safely riding homeward for with Christ will still remain
I'm riding on my Savior's train

I shall not refuse a ticket who will leave all sin and shame
To save on love (to save on love) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
Sinners if you cannot ride this train, you are the ones to blame
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

Chorus (x 2)

Verse

I	IV-I	I	V
I	IV-I	I-V	I

Chorus

I	I	I	V
I	IV-I	I-V	I

 

—Bill Monroe

There's a bluegrass girl a-waiting
In the state of Old K.Y.
Way up in the mountains
Where the tall pines touch the sky
Her hair is like the autumn
And her eyes are heavenly blue
I'm coming back to see you
My Old Kentucky and you

Chorus:
She's the jewel of all the bluegrass girls
A diamond in the rough
Sparkles with love that's just for me
I can't see her enough
Her hair is like the autumn
And her eyes are heavenly blue
I'm coming back to see you
My Old Kentucky and you

In the hills of old Kentucky
Where the bluegrass grows so sweet
A scene from heaven here on earth
Where an angel waits for me
Her lips are sweet as honey
And moist as the morning dew
I'm coming back to see you
My Old Kentucky and you

Chorus 2:
She's the jewel of all the bluegrass girls
A diamond in the rough
Sparkles with love that's just for me
I can't see her enough
Her lips are sweet as honey
And moist as the morning dew
I'm coming back to see you
My Old Kentucky and you

Tag:
My Old Kentucky and you

Verse

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

Chorus

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

 

—Bill Monroe
(pronounced "loo-zi-a-na")

Somewhere down the line you'll say you love me
And that's what I want to hear you say
In the state of Louisiana I lost my heart (?)
Say you love me before I go away

Chorus:
Oh the Louisiana moon is shining so bright
From way up in heaven above
In the state of Louisiana I lost my heart
She'll always be my Louisiana love

3/4
Verse

I	IV	I	V
I	IV	I-V	I

Chorus

IV	I	I	V
I	IV	I-V	I

 

—Bill Monroe

Now come and listen to my story
A story that I know is true
A little rose that bloomed in Georgia
With hair of gold and a heart so true

Chorus:
Way down in the blue ridge mountains
Way down where the tall pines grow
Lives my sweetheart of the mountains
She's my little Georgia rose

Her mother left her with another
A carefree life she had planned
The baby now she is a lady
The one her mother couldn't stand

We often sing those songs together
I watched her do her little part
She smiled at me when I would tell her
That she was my sweetheart

Verse

I	I	I	I
I	I	V	V
I	I	I	I
I	V	I	I

Chorus

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

 

—Monroe Brothers

I've been travelin' for Jesus so much of my time
I've traveled on land and on sea
But I'm counting on taking a trip to the sky
That'll be the last moving for me

I've seen wonderful sights since I've traveled afar
How little they all will seem
When I move to the sky, that city of gold,
And behold what a vision could dream

Chorus:
When I move to the sky up in heaven so high
What a wonderful trip that will be
I'm ready to go washed in Calvary's white snow
That'll be the last moving for me

The province a home while I meet over there (?)
And the visions have guided me right
I will meet the Apostles and Jesus my Lord
I believe I will know them at sight

Here I'm bothered with packing each time that I move
And carry a load in each hand,
But I'll not need one thing that I've used in this world
When I move to that heavenly land.

Everything that I need will be furnished up there
Not even my songbook I'll bring
Or the precious old Bible that showed me the way
I'll not need when I stand by my King.

3/4
Verse & Chorus:

I	IV-I	I	V
I	IV-I	I-V	I