Author: Jim

Don't Put Off 'Til Tomorrow

Jim,

—Bill Monroe, with Pete Pyle

You have no doubt in your mind
There's a heaven up above
And you mean to change before the end
But you hold onto treasures
You possessed here on earth
Feasting your soul on sin

Chorus:
Don't put off 'til tomorrow
What you can do today
For tomorrow may be too late
Sinner give your heart to Jesus
Won't you kneel down and pray
For tomorrow may be too late

You say you'll change tomorrow
but tomorrow never comes
These words you keep repeating day by day
How sad will be the story
when you're laid in your grave
In torment forever you will pay

There's a wreck on the highway
there's blood on the road
That lifeless body lies cold
They'll never know Jesus
they've waited too long
They'll never live in that heavenly fold

Verse & Chorus:

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

 

Dark As The Night, Blue As The Day

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

A:
Dark as the night and blue as the day
I'm lonesome my darling since you went away
Sometimes I wonder what made you stray
Dark as the night and blue as the day.

B:
Blue as the sky there's blues in my heart
It's dark outside since we've been apart
Oh tell me please tell me why you betray
Dark as the night I'm blue as the day.

Instrumental, then repeat B

A:

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

B:

IV I I V
I I I-V I

 

Country Waltz

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

A:
In the longest night when the moon was shinin' bright
We danced to a country melody
We were young and then we had many friends
So we gathered and danced the country waltz

B:
The fiddle played on the couples danced free
The wind whispered this tune to me
In the wonderful days at that old wood mill
Were the days that we danced the country waltz

3/4
A:

I IV I V
I IV I-V I

B:

IV I II V
I IV I-V I

 

Come Back To Me In My Dreams

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

When the bright moon shines up in Heaven
And the beautiful stars are a'gleam
It seems that you are so near me
But yet it is only a dream

Chorus:
Come back to me in my dreams love
Come back to me in sweet dreams
I'm heartbroke I'm sad and I'm weary
Come back to me in my dreams

Oh, I'm sending a prayer up to Heaven
On a beautiful cloud you see
So you will know that I want you
In my beautiful dreams with me

Oh I know I shall never more see you
Till we meet in Heaven it seems
But I hold you close to my heart love
In my beautiful memories and dreams

3/4
Verse

I I I V
I I I-V I

Chorus

IV I I V
I I I-V I

 

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