Author: Jim

Close By

Jim,

—Bill Monroe, with Robert Van Winkle

You've gone so far away, my darling
Each time I think of you I cry
I press your picture to my bosom
Then I feel that you're close by

Years have passed you've not returned dear
Now they say that you have died
But your soul will live forever
Now I know you'll be close by

I saw you last while you were leaving
The tears from you I tried to hide
You took me in your arms and said dear
Your memory I keep close by

They buried you in a lonely graveyard
And a spot they left beside
There I'll sleep 'till Jesus calls us
So that we can be close by

Verse

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

 

Cheap Love Affair

Jim,

—Bill Monroe, with Chuck Carson

Chorus:
Don't go so far away love, try to stay around
For losing you would be more than I could bear
Though I'm tied to another, I hope someday she'll set me free
For I don't want a cheap love affair

I knew we loved each other the night that we first met
It just happened there was nothing we could do
Let me stay with my children 'til they can understand
That I love them and they'll know I love you too

So darling please forgive me don't give me all the blame
Though'I know that it doesn't seem so fair
When I'm free I'll make you happy if you'll only wait for me
But I don't want a cheap love affair

3/4
Chorus & Verse:

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

 

Baptize Me in the Cumberland River

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

Baptize me in the Cumberland River
Let old Satan look at me
Brother Johnny let me down quickly
for the Lord is calling me.

Chorus:
Oh praise the Lord, glory hallilueah
The Heavenly lights are shining on me.
Baptize me in the Cumberland River
wash my sins out to the sea.

Standing by the old Cumberland River
My friend on earth is harmony
and I walk out into deep water
and I go down she's praying for me.

Lord I want to walk in your footsteps
I'm gonna stand close by your side.
While here on earth I'll be your helper.
The truth I'll tell and never lie.

Verse & Chorus

IV I V I
IV I V I

 

Along About Daybreak

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

When we were young and we thought we loved each other
But you didn't love me I guess
For you've gone and you've found another
Everything to you is regret

Chorus:
This morning along about daybreak
You quarreled at me the whole night through
I know it's not too late for your sake dear
But for me I will always be blue

Oh I'm weary my darling weary
Just to know your love's gone cold
For without you life will be so dreary
We'll need each other when we grow old

Oh sweetheart be good to our babies
And I want you to teach them to pray
Tell them to say a little prayer for their daddy
Where he will be no one can say

3/4
Verse

I I I-V I
I I I-V I

Chorus

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

 

A Voice From On High

Jim,

—Bill Monroe, with Bessie Lee Maudlin

Chorus:
I hear a voice callin' it must be our Lord
It's comin' from heaven on high
I hear a voice callin' I'll gain the reward
In the land where we shall never shall die

The Savior has paid a great price for me
He gave His life on Calvary
So I'll follow his footsteps up the narrow way
And be ready to meet Him when He calls on that day

He died on the cross, the old rugged cross
That we would be saved from sin and not lost
So I'll follow His footsteps up the narrow way
And we'll pay that debt on the great judgement day

3/4
Chorus

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

Verse

I I I I
IV I I I
I I II V
I I I I
IV I I I
I I V I

Free Little Bird

Jim,

—Dykes Magic City Trio

Chorus:
Oh I'm as free a little bird
As I can be, I can be
I'm as free a little bird as I can be
I'm gonna build my nest
In a weeping willow tree
Where the bad boys cannot bother me

Oh I'll never build my nest
On the ground, on the ground
Oh I'll never build my nest on the ground
But I'll build my nest
In a weeping willow tree
Where the bad boys cannot tear me down

Oh I'm as free a little bird
As I can be, I can be
I'm as free a little bird as I can be
I'm gonna build my nest
In a weeping willow tree
Where the bad boys cannot bother me

Oh I'll never steal honey
From a tree, from a tree
I will never steal honey from a tree
But I'll steal me kiss
From a sweet darlin's lips
And I'll carry her away across the sea

I I-V I-IV V-I

 

Fortune

Jim,

Once I had a fortune, I locked it in my trunk,
I lost it all a-gambling one night when I was drunk.

Wish I had a pretty little hog/horse, corn to feed him on,
And a pretty little girl around the farm to feed him when I'm gone.

Chorus:
Fortune I had it, fortune I lost it,
Fortune I lost it one night when I was drunk.

Once I had a fortune but now I've lost it all,
Drinkin' and a gambling and playin' at the ball.

I'm packin' up my suitcase and now I say goodbye,
I'm gonna live a gamblin' man until the day I die.

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

 

Chattanooga Mama

Jim,

—Allen Brothers

(to the tune of Deep Elum Blues)

When I walk into your parlor
Put my hat up on your rack
You can telephone your husband
Ain't no use in coming back.

Oh, Chattanooga mama,
Your papa's coming to town.
Gonna have you sweet mama
If I have to run you down.

If you want me to sweet mama,
I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll bring my old guitar
Play these mean old blues for you.

Oh, Chattanooga mama,
Your daddy's coming to town
Gonna have you sweet mama
If I have to run you down.
What'ya say baby?

Take you in my arms sweet mama
I'll be good and treat you right
Then will fall asleep together
Tell the whole darned world good night.

Oh, Chattanooga mama,
Your daddy's coming to town
Gonna have you sweet mama
If I have to run you down.

Go to sleep now baby,
Your papa's done come home.

Verse

I I I I
I I I I7
IV IV IV IV

Chorus

I I I I
V V V V-I

 

Darling Nellie Gray

Jim,

There's a low green valley
By the old Kentucky shore
Where I whiled many happy hours a way
Just a sitting and a singing
By the little cottage door
Where lived my darling Nelly Gray

Chorus:
Oh my poor Nelly Gray
They have taken you away
And I'll never see my darlin' any more
I am sitting by the river
And I'm weeping all the day
For you've gone from the old Kentucky shore

When the moon had climbed the mountain
And the stars were shining too
Then I'd take my darlin Nelly Gray
And we'd float down the river
In my little red canoe
While my banjo so sweetly I would play

My eyes are getting blinded
And I cannot see my way
Hark, there's someone knocking at the door
Oh, I hear the angels calling
And I see my Nelly Gray
Farewell to the old Kentucky shore

One night I went to see her
But she's gone, the neighbors say
The white man bound her with his chain
They have taken her to Georgia
For to wear her life away
As she toils in the cotton and the cane.

My canoe is underwater now
And my banjo is unstrung
I'm tired of living any more
My eyes shall look downward
And my songs shall be unsung
While I stay on the old Kentucky shore

Oh my darling Nelly Gray
Up in heaven there they say
That they'll never take you from me anymore
I'm coming, coming, coming,
As the angels clear the way
Farewell to the old Kentucky shore

Verse

I IV I V
I IV I-V I

Chorus

IV I I V
I IV I-V I

 

Cindy

Jim,

—Traditional, also called Get Along Home Cindy

You ought to see my Cindy she lives way down south
She's so sweet the honey bees swarm around her mouth

Chorus:
Get along home Cindy Cindy
Get along home Cindy Cindy
Get along home Cindy Cindy
I'll marry you some day

The first I seen my Cindy she was standing in the door
Her shoes and stocking in her hand her feet all over the floor

She took me to her parlor she cooled me with her fan
She said I was the prettiest thing in the shape of mortal man

She kissed me and she hugged me she called me suger plum
She throwed her arms around me I thought my time had come

Oh Cindy is a pretty girl Cindy is a peach
She threw her arms around my neck and hung on like a leech

And if I was a sugar tree standing in the town
Each time my Cindy passed I'd shake some sugar down

And if had a needle and thread fine as I could sew
I'd sew that gal to my coat tails and down the road I'd go

I wish I was an apple a-hanging on a tree
Every time that Cindy passed she'd take a bite of me

Verse

I I I I7

Chorus

IV I IV V – I
Riley Puckett lyrics:

Cindy is like a cherry,
Cherry's like a rose
How I love my Cindy,
Ain't nobody knows

Chorus:
Get along home,
Get along home,
Get along home,
Cindy, fare you well.

Went upon the mountain,
Did my normal route
Put me in a coffee pot,
Blowed me out the spout

You may ride a grey horse,
I may ride a roan
Go and see the old gal,
You better leave mine alone

Went upon the mountain,
To give my horn a blow,
Every gal in Georgia,
Came runnin' to the door

I went down to Cindy's house,
Cindy wasn't at home
Set myself in a rockin' chair,
And rocked till she come home

Cindy in the summertime,
Cindy in the fall,
Can't have Cindy all the time,
Don't want Cindy at all.

Wish I had a needle and thread
Wish that I could sew
I'd sew that gal to my coat tails
And down the road we'd go

Yet more verses:

Cindy got religion,
She had it once before
When she heered my old banjo
She's the first one on the floor.

Cindy got religion
She swung round and round;
Got so full of glory, Lord,
Shook her stockin's down.

If I had a pretty gal
I'd put her on a shelf;
Ev'ry time she smiled at me,
I'd jump right up myself.