Author: Jim

Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms

Jim,

—Lester Flatt

I ain't gonna work on the railroad
Ain't gonna work on the farm
Lay around the shack
Till the mail train comes back
And roll in my sweet baby's arms

Chorus:
Roll in my sweet baby's arms
Roll in my sweet baby's arms
Lay round the shack
Till the mail train comes back
And roll in my sweet baby's arms

Now where were you last Friday night
While I was lying in jail
Walking the streets with another man
Wouldn't even go my bail

I know your parents don't like me
They turn me away from your door
If I had my life to live over
Wouldn't go there any more

Mother's a beauty operator
Sister she can weave and can spin
Daddy has an interest in that old cotton mill
Just a watchin' how the money rolls in

Sometimes there's a change in the ocean
Sometimes there's a change in the sea
Sometimes there's a change in my own true love
But there'll never be a change in me

Verse and Chorus:

I I I V
I IV (I or IV) – V I

 


Rocky Top

Jim,

—Felice and Boudleaux Bryant

Wish that I was on ole Rocky Top,
Down in the Tennessee hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top,
Ain't no telephone bills.

Once there was a girl on Rocky Top,
Half bear the other half cat.
Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that.

Chorus:
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.

Once two strangers climbed on Rocky Top,
Lookin' for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain't come back from Rocky Top,
Guess they never will.

Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top,
Dirt's too rocky by far.
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar.

Now I've had years of cramped up city life,
Trapped like a duck in a pen.
Now all I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again.

Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.
Yeah Rocky Top Tennesee eee eee eee.

Verse:

I I IV I
VIm V I I

Chorus:

VIm VIm V V
VII VII IV IV
IV IV I I
I VII I I

 

Rocky Road Blues

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

Chorus:
Now the road is rocky, but it won't be rocky long ( x2 )
Another man has got my woman and gone

I've got those blues, I'm wearing out the soles of my shoes ( x2 )
My gal went away and left me she left me with the dog gone blues

You'll never miss your water til the well runs dry ( x2 )
You'll never miss your woman until she says goodbye

I wish to the Lord you'd bring my woman back home ( x2 )
I'm not so lonesome, just don't want to be alone

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

 



Rocky Island

Jim,

(Ho Honey Ho)

Peaches in the summer time
Apples in the fall
If I don't get the one I love
I won't have none at all

Chorus:
I'm going to Rocky Island
Ho honey ho
To see my Candy darling
You know I love her so

Went up on the mountain
Sow a little cane
Make a barrel of sorghum
For little Liza Jane

Black clouds a risin'
Sure sign of rain
Get your old gray bonnet
See little Liza Jane

I can ride the big old mare
And you can ride the roan
If you get there before I do
You leave my girl alone

Went to see my gal last night
The dress she wore was red
Every time I look at her
I wish my wife was dead

Went up on the mountain
And I fell over on my knees
Thought I'd laugh myself to death
To hear that gander sneeze

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

Reuben's Train

Jim,

Ol Reuben made a train & he put it on a track
He ran it to the Lord knows where
Oh me, oh my ran it to the Lord knows where

Should been in town when Reuben's train went down
You could hear that whistle blow 100 miles
Oh me, oh my you could hear the whistle blow 100 miles

Last night I lay in jail had no money to go my bail
Lord how it sleeted & it snowed
Oh me, oh my Lord how it sleeted & it snowed

I've been to the East, I've been to the West
I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow
Oh me, oh my I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow

Oh the train that I ride is 100 coaches long
You can hear the whistle blow 100 miles
Oh me, oh my you can hear the whistle blow 100 miles

I got myself a blade, laid Reuben in the shade,
I'm startin' me a graveyard of my own.
Oh, me, oh lordy my, startin' me a graveyard of my own.

Verse:

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

 

Red River Valley

Jim,

—James J. Kerrigan

From this valley they say you are goin'
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are takin' the sunshine
That has brightened our pathway the while

Do you think of the valley you're leavin'
Oh how lonely and dreary it will be
Do you think of the fond heart you're breakin'
And the sadness you've cast over me

For a long time my dear, I've been waiting
For the words that you never would say
And alas my poor heart you are breakin'
For they tell me you're goin' away

As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged mid the flowers

Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the one that has loved you so true

Verse:

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

 

Red Haired Boy

Jim,

I am a little beggar and a beggar I have been
For three score'r more in this little Isle of green
And I'm known from the Liffy down to Sligo
And I'm known by the name of old Donahue.

Of all the trades a-goin' now sure beggin is the best
When a man gets tired he can lay him down to rest
He can beg for his dinner when there's nothing left to do
Then just cut around the corner with his old rig-a-do.

I slept in a barn way down in Clarabourn
With holes in the roof and it rained until the morn
With holes in me shoes and me toes a-peeking through
And the cats and the rats they were playin' peek-a-boo.

Who should awaken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She got frightened and I said, "Boo,
And don't be afraid, ma'am. It's only Donahue."

I met a little flaxy haired girl one day
Good mornin' little flaxy-haired girl, I did say
Good mornin', little beggerman, and how do you do,
With your rags and your tags and your old rig-a-do?

Five pair o' brogans and a collar and a tie,
A nice little lady I will fetch by and by
Five pair o' brogans and I'll color them blue
And an old-fashioned lady I will make her too.

Over the fields with me pack on me back,
Over the hills with me great heavy sack
With the holes in my shoes and the toes a'peekin' through
Singin' skittilee rink-a-doodle it's the its old Donahue.

Must be going to bed boys, it's gettin' late at night
All the fire's all raked and up goes the light
And now you've heard the story of my rig-a-do
It's good bye and god be with you says old Donahue.

Verse (generally in A):

I I I IV
I I VII VII
I I I IV
I I V I

 

Raleigh and Spencer

Jim,

Chorus:
Raleigh and Spencer was burning down
There ain't no liquor in this town
There ain't no liquor in this town

I'll pawn you my shoes for a little bottle of booze
I'll drink it and lay right down and die
I'm gonna drink it and lay right down and die

I'll eat more chicken that a pretty gal can fry
I'll tell you more doggone lies
I'll tell you more doggone lies

Chorus:
I'll eat more fat meat that you can cook in a week
I'll never get to heaven when I die
Ain't never gonna get to heaven when I die

I'll pawn you my watch, I'll pawn you my chain
I'll pawn you my gold wedding ring
I'll pawn you my gold wedding ring

You can tramp down the flowers all around my grave side
They'll rise and bloom again
They're gonna rise and bloom again

Chorus and Verse:

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

Raise a Ruckus Tonight

Jim,

—Gus Cannon

Chorus:
Come along, little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Get on board, and down the river float
I'm gonna raise a ruckus tonight

My old mistress promised me (raise a ruckus tonight)
When she died she'd set me free (raise a ruckus tonight)
She lived so long til her head got bald (raise a ruckus tonight)
She give up the notion of dyin' at all (raise a ruckus tonight)

Now some folks say that a preacher won't steal (raise a ruckus tonight)
I caught two in my watermelon field (raise a ruckus tonight)
They were eatin' them watermelons, throwin' away the rinds (raise a ruckus tonight)
They were preachin' and prayin' and stealin' all the time (raise a ruckus tonight)

When I die they gonna bury me deep (gonna raise a ruckus tonight)
Place a jug of molassses at my feet (gonna raise a ruckus tonight)
Just put some flapjacks in my hand (raise a ruckus tonight)
I'll sop my way to the promised land (raise a ruckus tonight)

Chorus:

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

Verse:

|:  I I I I
I I I I :|

 

 

Optional Verse:
You know I had a little dog and he had no sense…
He's always barking at the chickens on the fence…
The chicken flew off and hit him in the jaw…
You oughta heard that dog holler ha ha haw…<

Ragged But Right

Jim,

—Riley Puckett (mostly)
I come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
I'm a thief and a gambler I get drunk every night
Get a porterhouse steak three times a day for my board
That's more than any loafer in this town can afford

Got a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A little baby girl plays around at my feet
I'm a ramblin' gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys, I'm ragged but right.

Bridge:
I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train just anywhere
If I win or lose I don't get the blues
It's gamblin' and roamin' for me.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine
Went into a card game with 39 cents
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a tramp and a rounder, he leads a dirty life
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

Verse:

I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II V
I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II   V I

Bridge:

I I I II   V
I IV I   V I


 
—The Greenbriar Boys' version
Well I just come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
A thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
It's three porterhouse steaks each night and day for my board
More'n any flatfoot in your town can afford

Well it's a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A pretty little woman just to tickle my feet
I'm a rambler a gambler and I'm lit up every night
I'm a rootin' tootin' dope fiend, but right.

Bridge:
Oh, I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train most everywhere
If I win or lose oh, I don't get the blues,
Oh a ramblin' joker that's me.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a rambling gambler, he gets drunk every night.
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

My house is bought with pawnshop tickets, red, white and blue
My clothes are made from zebra skins right out of the zoo
I got a mess of mash right in the back, I made it myself
And the hearts of all my girlfriends lyin' right there on the shelf

Well now I've sung my song, and I've given you a taste,
I'd like to linger longer but I got to make haste,
I'm always wheelin' and dealin' with plenty of feelin' and high as a kite,
I tell you folks I'm ragged but right.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline.
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine.
Went into a card game with 39 cents,
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

Well you may think I'm bragging but don't get me wrong
I can't run for office while I'm singing this song
I'm a thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys I'm ragged but right.

'Cause I'm a ramblin' man, a gamblin' man, and Lord, am I tight!
I just called to tell you that I'm ragged but right.