Author: Jim

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

 


My Bucket's Got a Hole In It

Jim,

—Clarence Williams, 1933

Chorus:
Yea, my bucket's got a hole In It
Yea, my bucket's got a hole In It
Yea, my bucket's got a hole In It
I can't buy no beer.

Well I'm standin' on a corner with a bucket in my hand
I'm waitin' for a woman that ain't got no man.

Well, I went upon the mountain I looked down in the sea
I seen the crabs and the fishes doin' the be-bop-bee.

Well, there ain't no use of me workin' so hard
When I got a woman in the boss man's yard.

Well, me and my baby we just bought a Ford
And now we sit together on the running board.

A few extra verses:

Now me and my baby got along alright
Till a great big black cat changed my luck one night

Had a letter from my baby down in Tennessee
She's sending me her loving C.O.D.

Keep on knockin' girl I can't let you in
Better go back wherever you have been

It's after hours and you can't get in
We close at nine and now it's half past ten

Chorus and Verse:

|: IV I V I :|

 

Mr. Spaceman

Jim,

—Jim McGuinn

Woke up this morning with light in my eyes.
And then realized it was still dark outside
It was a light coming down from the sky
I don't know who or why

Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
Leave blue—green footprints that glow in the dark
I hope they get home all right

Chorus:
Hey, Mr. Spaceman won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman won't you please take me along for a ride

Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared
Over my window, they'd written my name
Said, so long, we'll see you again

Verse:

|:  I II V I  :|

Chorus:

V IV IIm I
V IV V I

 

Good Old Mountain Dew

Jim,

—Flatt and Scruggs

There's a big hollow tree down the road here from me
Where you lay down a dollar or two
You stroll 'round the bend and you come back again
There's a jug full of good old mountain dew

Chorus:
They call it that mountain dew
And them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you fill up my jug
With that good old mountain dew

My uncle Mort, he's sawed off and short
He measures about four foot two
But he thinks he's a giant when you give him a pint
Of that good old mountain dew

Well, my old aunt June bought some brand new perfume
If had such a sweet smelling pew
But to her surprise when she had it analyzed
It was nothing but good old mountain dew

Well, my brother Bill's got a still on the hill
Where he runs off a gallon or two
The buzzards in the sky get so drunk they can't fly
From smelling that good old mountain dew

Verse and Chorus:

I I IV I
I I V I

 

 

Optional verses:

My aunt Lucille had an automobile,
It ran on a gallon or two.
It didn't need no gas and it didn't need no oil,
It just ran on that good old mountain dew.

I know a guy named Pete, his hair ain't so neat,
Though he fixes it with syrup and blue,
But it stays right in place when he uses just a trace
Of that good old mountain dew.

The preacher—he walked by, with a big tear in his eye
Said that his wife had the flu
And hadn't I ought just to give him a quart
Of that good old mountain dew

My uncle Klaus had a real mean old mouse
When they asked how it happened,
He said it was a lappin'
That good old mountain dew

You take a little trash and you mix it up with ash,
And you throw in the soul of a shoe,
Then you stir it awhile with an old rusty file,
And they call it that good old mountain dew.

During the last war, we couldn't get no more,
We didn't have no sugar for the dew
With a few old potaters and a few ripe tomaters,
We turned out some stuff, I'm tellin' you

Old Deacon Crane took a trip in the rain,
Said his wife had come down with the flu,
But she'll be all right if you give her a pint
Of that good old mountain dew.

Mr. Franklin Roosevelt, he told me how he felt
The day the old dry law went through:
If your likker's too red, it will swell up your head
Better stick to that good old mountain dew