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
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
A:
Sitting alone in the moonlight
Thinking of the days gone by
Wondering about my darling
I can still hear her saying goodbye
B:
Oh the moon grows pale as I sit here
Each little star seems to whisper and say
Your sweetheart has found another
And now she's far, far away
Was in the spring, one sunny day
Just when she left me, she's gone to stay
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Oh I'm sitting on top of the world
Was all the summer, and all the fall,
Just trying to find my little all in all
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
Went to the station, down in the yard
Gonna get me a freight train, work's done got hard
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Oh I'm sitting on top of the world
There have been days, I didn't know my name
Why should I worry or cry in vain
But now she's gone, now I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
An' you come runnin', holdin' up your hand
Can get me a woman, quick as you got you a man
But now you're gone, and I don't worry
Lord I'm sitting on top of the world
The lonesome days, they have gone by
Why should I beg you? You said goodbye
But now she's gone, and I don't worry
Oh cause I'm sitting on top of the world
Verse:
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Doc Watson's version:
Was in the spring, One sunny day
My sweetheart left me, Lord, she went away
And now she's gone, And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting On top of the world
She called me up From down in El Paso
She said "Come back, daddy Ooh, I need you so"
And now she's gone And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting On top of the world
If you don't like my peaches Don't you shake my tree
'n Get out of my orchard Let my peaches be
And now she's gone And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting On top of the world
And don't you come here runnin' Holding out your hand
I'm gonna get me a woman Like you got your man
And now she's gone And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting On top of the world
'twas in the spring One sunny day
My sweetheart left me Lord, she went away
And now she's gone And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting On top of the world
Bill Monroe's version:
It was in the spring one sunny day
My good gal left me Lord she went away
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
She called me up from down in El Paso
Said come back, daddy, Lord I need you so
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Show me a woman a man can trust
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
Mississippi River, long, deep and wide
The woman I'm loving is on the other side
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
You don't like my peaches, don't you shake my tree
Get out of my orchard, let my peaches be
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
Don't you come here running, holding out your hand
I'll get me a woman like you got your man
And now she's gone but I don't worry
'Cause I'm sitting on top of the world
This old town is filled with sin,
It will swallow you in
If you've got some money to burn.
Take it home right away,
You've got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn
Chorus:
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poor house.
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the thirty-first floor your gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
The scientists say
It will all wash away
But we don't believe any more
Cause we've got our recruits
And our green mohair suits
So please show your ID At the door.
A friend came around.
Tried to clean up this town,
His ideas made some people mad.
But he trusted his crowd,
So he spoke right out loud
And they lost the best friend they had
Tag:
On the thirty—first floor your gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
Put on the skillet slip on the lid
Mama's gonna make a little shortnin' bread
That ain't all she's gonna do
Mama's gonna make a little coffee, too
Chorus:
Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's little baby loves short'nin' bread
(Repeat)
Three little children lyin' in bed
Two were sick and the other 'most dead
Sent for the doctor and the doctor said
Give those children some shortnin' bread.
When those children sick in bed
Heard that talk about shortnin' bread
Popped up well to dance and sing
Skipped around and cut the pigeon wing
Slip to the kitchen slip off the lid
Filled my pockets full of shortnin' bread;
Stole the skillet stole the lid
Stole the gal makin' shortnin' bread
Caught me with the skillet caught me with the lid
Caught me with the gal makin' shortnin' bread;
Paid six dollars for the skillet six dollars for the lid
Spent six months in jail eatin' shortnin' bread
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
My baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine
Man my baby's long, great god she's mighty, she's tall
You know my baby's long, great god she's mighty, my baby she's tall
Well my baby she's long, my baby she's tall
She sleeps with her head in the kitchen and her big feet out in the hall
And I'm still crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine
Bridge:
Well I love my baby, she's so fine
I wish she'd come and see me some time
If you don't believe I love her, look what a hole I'm in
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a shape I'm in
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
Well my baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman,
hardheaded woman of mine
You see her there at the bar cross the room
She looks like an angel with her paint and perfume
You'd like to meet her your conscience says no
Obey your conscience turn around and go
Chorus:
She's no angel, no angel, her wings are not real
She'll ruin your life if your heart she can steal
She'll tell you tales to bring tears to your eyes
But don't you believe them for they're only lies
You think if only she could be your own
You'd be more contented than a king on his throne
You'd better not trust her it's wrong if you do
She's broken many hearts and she'll break yours too
She's there at the bar every evening
Face powdered and cheeks painted red
Her beauty has faded too early
Brought on by the fast life she led
She's more to be pitied than scolded
She needs to be loved, not despised
Too much beer and wine, too many good times
The lure of the honky tonk wrecked her young life
She once was the belle of the ballroom
She'd made some man a sweet wife
But too many parties, the wrong kind of pals
Ruined her happy young life
