Author: Jim

No One But My Darlin'

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

I'll never love no one else but my darlin'
Even though we both had to part
I'll never love no one else but my darlin'
For wherever she goes she'll always have my heart.

Chorus:
As most people say absence makes the heart grow cold
But the kind of love we had each other's heart we'll hold
I'll never love no one else but my darlin'
As we travel down two different lonesome roads

I'll never let no one take your place my darlin'
For you know you meant the world to me
I'll never let no one take your place my darlin'
For your love won't let my heart be free.

Verse:

I I I V
I I I – V I

Chorus:

IV I IV I-V
I I I – V I

 

No Depression in Heaven

Jim,

—A.P. Carter

For fear the hearts of men are failing,
For these are latter days we know.
The Great Depression now is spreading,
God's word declared it would be so.

Chorus:
I'm going where there's no depression,
To the lovely land that's free from care.
I'll leave this world of toil and trouble,
My home's in Heaven, I'm going there.

In that bright land, there'll be no hunger,
No orphan children cryin' for bread,
No weeping widows, toil or struggle,
No shrouds, no coffins, and no death.

This dark hour of midnight nearing
And tribulation time will come.
The storms will hurl in midnight fear
And sweep lost millions to their doom.

Verse and Chorus:

I I IV I
I I V I

 

Ninety-Nine Years (And One Dark Day)

Jim,

I've been in this prison twenty years or more
I shot my woman with a .44
I'll be right here till my dyin' day
I got 99 years and one dark day

Well the food is bad and the beds are hard
I spend all day breakin' rocks in the yard
Well there ain't no change, gonna stay that way
I got 99 years and one dark day

I never learned to read, I never learned to write
My whole life's been one big fight
I never heard about the righteous way
I got 99 years and one dark day

There ain't no singer that can sing a song
(to) Convince the warden that I ain't wrong
His mind's made up, gonna stay that way
I got 99 years and one dark day

Verse:

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

 

Nine Pound Hammer

Jim,

—Merle Travis

This nine pound hammer is a little too heavy
For my size, Buddy for my size

Refrain:
Roll on buddy, don't you roll so slow
How can I roll, when the wheels won't roll

I'm going to the mountain, just to see my baby
And I ain't coming back, no I ain't coming back

There ain't one hammer, down in this tunnel
That can ring like mine, that can ring like mine

Refrain:
Rings like silver, shines like gold
Rings like silver, shines like gold

This old hammer, it killed John Henry
Ain't gonna kill me, ain't gonna kill me

It's a long way to Harlan, and a long way to Hazard
Just to get a little booze, just to get a little booze

Buddy when I'm log gone, won't you make my tombstone
Out of number nine coal, out of number nine coal

Verse and Refrain:

I I IV IV
I V I I

 

New River Train

Jim,

Chorus:
I'm ridin' that New River train ( x2 )
The same old train that brought me here
Is gonna carry me away again

Darlin' you can't love one ( x2 )
You can't love one and have any fun
Oh darlin' you can't love one

Oh darlin' you can't love two ( x2 )
You can't love two and your little heart be true
Oh darlin' you can't love two

Darlin' you cant love three ( x2 )
You can't love three and be true to me
Oh darlin' you cant love three

Oh darlin' you cant love four ( x2 )
You can't love four and love me any more
Oh darlin' you cant love four

Darlin' you cant love five ( x2 )
You can't love five and get money from my beehive
Oh darlin' you cant love five

Oh darlin' you cant love six ( x2 )
You can't love six, that kind of love won't mix
Oh darlin' you cant love six

Oh darlin' you cant love seven ( x2 )
You can't love seven it might as well be 'leven
Oh darlin' you cant love seven

Honey the time won't be long
Darling the time ain't gonna be long
It ain't gonna be long, you know I'm gonna be gone
I'll be leaving on that New River train

Verse:

I I I V
I IV I – V I

 


Nadine

Jim,

—Chuck Berry

I got on a city bus and found a vacant seat,
I thought I saw my future bride walking up the street,
I shouted to the driver hey conductor, you must
slow down, I think I see her, please let me off this bus

Chorus:
Nadine, honey is that you?
Oh, Nadine. Honey, is that you?
Seems like every time I see you honey,
you're up to something new.

I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back
And started walkin' toward a coffee colored Cadillac
I was pushin' through the crowd to get to where she's at
And I was campaign shouting like a southern diplomat

Downtown searching for her, looking all around.
Saw her getting in a yellow cab heading up town.
I caught a loaded taxi, paid up everybody's tab.
With a twenty dollar bill, told him 'catch that yellow cab.'

She move around like a wave of summer breeze,
Go, driver, go, go, catch her balmy breeze.
Moving through the traffic like a mounted cavalier.
Leaning out the taxi window trying to make her hear.

Verse:

I I I I
I I I I

Chorus:

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

 

My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

Chorus:
You're my sweet blue-eyed darling
And my love belongs to you
All I ask of you my darling
Is love me good and be true

Days come and go and I still love you
And I see your smiling face
Just tell me love, that you need me
And no one's gonna take my place

And today I need an answer
And I want to hear you say
You don't belong to another
And in my arms you're gonna to stay

Verse:

I I I I
IV V-I I I
I I7 IV I
II II V V

 

My Rough and Rowdy Ways

Jim,

—Jimmie Rodgers

For years and years I rambled
I drank my wine and gambled
But one day I thought I'd settle down
I met a perfect lady
She said she'd be my baby
We built a cottage in the old hometown
Yodel-ay-ee oh del-ay-ee ay del-ay-ee

Chorus:
But somehow I can't forget my good old ramblin' days
The railroad trains are calling me always
I may be rough, I may be wild,
I may be tough and counted vile
But I can't give up my good old rough and rowdy ways
Yodel-ay-ee ay-ee o lay-ee

Sometimes I meet a bounder
Who knew me when I was a rounder
He grabs my hand and says, boy, have a drink
We go down to the pool room get in the gang and then soon
Daylight comes before I've had a wink
Yodel-ay-ee oh del-ay-ee o del-ay-ee-ay-ee

Verse:

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

Chorus:

I V – I II V
I – I7 IV – IV#º I – I-V V-I – I
I – V I

Verse:

I IV – I II V
I IV – I II V
I – V I

 

My Rose of Old Kentucky

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

She bloomed for me near a little village
In a cabin on the hill
We made our vows we'd love each other
And I know we always will

Chorus:
She's my rose of old Kentucky
I watched her bloom as the years roll by
And to me there'll never be another
I'll love her 'til the day I die

Oh in dreams I see my darling
In a gingham dress she looks so sweet
Oh I long for old Kentucky
And my darling was more to me

Oh I know you often wonder
So I'll tell you the reason why
She's my rose of old Kentucky
And I know she'll never lie

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

My Home's Across the Blueridge Mountains

Jim,

—The Carter Family

Chorus:
My home's across the blue ridge mountains (X3)
And I never expect to see you anymore

How can I keep from crying? (X3)
For I never expect to see you anymore

Oh how I hate to leave you (X3)
For I never expect to see you anymore

So goodbye my little darling (X3)
I never expect to see you anymore

Verse & Chorus:

I I V I
I I V I