Take me back to the place where I first saw the light
To that sweet sunny south take me home
Where the mockingbird sings me to sleep every night
Oh why was I tempted to roam

I think with regret of the dear home I left
Of the warm hearts that sheltered me there
Of wife and of children of whom I'm bereft
Of the old place again do I sigh

Take me back to the place where the orange trees grow
To my plot in the evergreen shade
Where the flowers from the river's green margins did grow
And spread their sweet scent through the glade

Take me back let me see what is left that I know
Could it be that the old house is gone
Dear friends from my childhood indeed must be few
And I must face death all alone

The path to our cottage they say has grown green
And the place is quite lonely around
I know that the smiles and the forms I once knew
Now lie 'neath the cold mossy ground

But yet I return to the place of my birth
Where the children have played 'round the door
Where they gathered wild blossoms that grew 'round the path
Twill echo their footsteps no more

Take me back to the place where my little ones sleep
Where poor massa lies buried close by
O'er the graves of my loved ones I long for to weep
and rest there among them when I die

Verse:

I	I	I	IV
I	I	I-V	I

 

—Harry C. McAuliffe and Bobby Gregory

Now don't forget me little darling while I'm growing old and gray
Just a little thought before I'm going far away
I'll be waiting on the hillside where the wild red roses grow
On the sunny side of the mountain where the rippling waters fall

Now don't forget about those days we courted many years ago
Don't forget all the promises you gave me and so
I'll be waiting on the hillside on the day that you will call
On the sunny side of the mountain where the rippling waters fall

Tell me darling in your letter do you ever think of me
Please answer little darling tell me where you can be
It's been so long dear since I've seen you but my love still lingers on
Don't forget me little darling though our love affair seems gone

Verse:

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

 

Can't go home if you're goin' by the mill
Cause the bridge's washed out
At the bottom of the hill
Big Creek's up Little Creek's level
Plow my corn with a double shovel

Chorus:
Stay all night stay a little longer
Dance all night dance a little longer
Pull off your coat throw it in the corner
Don't see why you can't stay a little longer

Sittin' in the window singin' to my love
Slop bucket fell from the window up above
Mule and the grasshopper eatin' ice cream
Mule got sick so they laid him on the green

Well you ought to see my Blue Eyed Sally
She lives away down on Shinbone Alley
Number on the gate the number on the door
The next house over is the grocery store

Verse:

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

Chorus:

I	IV	V	I
I	IV	V	V-I

 

Chorus:
Somehow tonight I feel lonely, my darlin'
Somehow tonight I feel blue
Somehow tonight these tears of mine keep falling
Come back, sweetheart and be true

I thought your love was something I could treasure
To brighten my pathway through the years
Now all I can see is darkness in the future
That's why I long to have you near

I never knew what loneliness meant, darlin'
Until I watched you walk away
I long to hear you whisper that you love me
I can't forget our happy days

Chorus and Verse:

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

 

First I thought a snake had got me it happened dreadful quick
T'was a bullet bit my leg, right off I got sick
I came to in a wagon load of ten more wounded men
Five was dead by the time we reached that bloody tent

Chorus:
Gimme some of that Soldier's Joy, you know what I mean
I don't want to hurt no more my leg is turnin' green

The doctor came and looked at me and this is what he said
Your dancin' days are done, son, it's a wonder you ain't dead
Then he went to work with a carvin' knife sweat fell from his brow
'Bout killed me tryin' to save my life when he cut that lead ball out

Chorus:
Give me some of that Soldier's Joy, ain't you got no more
Hand me down my walkin' cane I ain't cut out for war

Red blood run right through my veins run all over the floor
Run right down his apron strings like a river out the door
He handed me a bottle and said, son drink deep as you can
He turned away then he turned right back with a hacksaw in his hand

Chorus:
Gimme some of that Soldier's Joy you know what I like
Bear down on that fiddle boys just like Saturday night

Gimme some of that Soldier's Joy you know what I crave
I'll be hittin' that Soldier's Joy til I'm in my grave

Verse:

|: I	I	I	V
I	I	I-V	I :|

Chorus:

I	IV	I	V
I	IV	I-V	I

 

—Tim O'Brien version

Cornbread and beans
And those good old collard greens
Keep your skillet good and greasy all the time, time, time
Skillet good and greasy all the time

If you say so
I'll never moonshine no more
I'll chop down that still
And go home, home, home
I'll chop down my still
And go home

If you don't believe I'm right
Come home with me tonight
Lay around my shanty all the time, time, time
Gonna lay around my shanty all the time

I'm goin down town
Gonna get a jug of brandy
Gonna give it all to Sandy
Keep her good and drunk and boozy all the time
Good and drunk and boozy all the time

Fatback and beans
And them good old collard greens
Keep your skillet good and greasy
All the time, time, time

Verse:

|: I

I

I

I

I-V

I :|