Author: Jim

Little Cabin Home on the Hill

Jim,

Tonight I'm alone without you my dear
It seems there's a longing for you still
All I have to do now is sit alone and cry
In our little cabin home on the hill

Chorus:
Oh, someone has taken you from me
And left me here all alone
Just to listen to the rain beat on my window pane
In our little cabin home on the hill

I hope you are happy tonight as you are
But in my heart there's a longing for you still
I just keep it there so I won't be alone
In our little cabin home on the hill

Now when you have come to the end of the way
And find there's no more happiness for you
Just let you thoughts turn back once more if you will
To our little cabin home on the hill

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

Chorus:

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

 

Little Birdie

Jim,

Chorus:
Little birdie, little birdie
Come and sing me you song
Got a short time to stay here
And a long time to be gone

I'm a long way from old Dixie
And my old Kentucky home
Now my parents are both dead and gone
Have no place to call my home

Now I'd rather be a sailor
Way out upon the sea
Then to be at home a marred man
With a baby on my knee

For the married man he sees trouble
And the single boy sees none
I expect to live single
Til my days on earth are done

Now I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't ever shine
Then to see you love another
When you promised to be mine

Verse and Chorus:

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

 



Life's Too Short

Jim,

—The Delmore Brothers

Here today and gone tomorrow, life's too short to borrow sorrow
Life's too short for me to worry over you.
You are gone, you are missin', other lips you are kissin'
Life's too short for me to worry over you.

Chorus: (after each verse):
And I'm leavin' (and I'm leavin') and I'm grievin' (and I'm grievin')
And I'm grievin' (and I'm grievin') cause I'm blue.
Here today and gone tomorrow, life's too short to borrow sorrow
Life's too short for me to worry over you.

Sometimes I think I'm crazy with these blue days so hazy
Can't realize that you are so untrue.
Now I know that you don't love me and by all the powers above me
Life's too short for me to worry over you.

I'm through with you forever, for this time we must sever
I'm gonna have another heart so good and true,
That was made for usin' not for all this abusin'
Life's too short for me to worry over you.

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Life's Railway to Heaven

Jim,

—also called, Life is Like a Mountain Railroad, Eliza R. Snow & M.E Abbey, 1890

Life is like a mountain railroad
With an engineer that's brave
We must make the run successful
From the cradle to the grave

Watch the curves, the fills, and tunnels
Never falter, never fail
Keep your hand upon the throttle
And your eyes upon the rail

Chorus:
Blessed Savior, Thou will guide us
Till we reach that blissful shore
Where the angels wait to join us
In that great forevermore

As you roll across the trestle
Spanning Jordon's swelling tide
You'll behold the Union Depot
Into which your train will glide

There you'll meet the superintendent
God the Father, God the Son
With a hearty joyous greetings:
Weary Pilgrims Welcome Home

Verse:

I I IV I
I I II V
I I IV !
I I V !

Verse:

IV I I V
I IV I I

 



Let's Go to Huntin'

Jim,

—Traditional, Tim O'Brien Arrangement

Chorus:
Come on boys, let's go to huntin
Come on boys, let's go to huntin
Dog in the woods, he done treed something

Your dog barks, it don't mean nothin
Your dog barks, it don't mean nothin
My dog barks, he done treed somethin

Old Red howlin up at the moon
Old Red howlin up at the moon
Took off runnin, and he treed him a coon

Now he raised his tail and he took off runnin
He raised up his tail and he took off runnin
Come on boys let's go to huntin

The gun says boom and coon says zip
The gun says boom and the coon says zip
Old Red grabbed him with all his grip

Your dog bark, it don't mean nothin
Your dog bark, it don't mean nothin
My dog bark, he done treed somethin

Waterproof your boots and whistle up your dog
Waterproof your boots and whistle up your dog
Shoulder up your gun when you're wadin in the bog

You get the shot, I'll get the powder
You get the shot, I'll get the powder
Your dog bark, my dog louder

Verse:

I I I I
I I I I
I I I !

 

Leftover Biscuits

Jim,

—Harold D. Handy

Chorus:
Leftover biscuits, leftover ham
Leftover gravy in an old fryin' pan
Leftover coffee, leftover tea
Now I'm all alone 'cause she done left over me.

Well, I asked my wife if I could go out with the boys,
Just a little party over at Jimmy Roy's.
She said, "Yes, honey, you know that I don't care."
But what I didn't tell her it was a three—day affair.

Then we went to a party over at my neighbors' home,
Me and my neighbor's wife in the kitchen all alone.
She was makin' biscuits while I was makin' time.
Caught in the act by that little old wife of mine.

Now I'm all alone, 'cause she done left over me.

Chorus and Verse:

I II V I
I II V IV – I

 


Kentucky Waltz

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

We were waltzing that night in Kentucky
'Neath the beautiful harvest moon
And I was the boy who was lucky
But it all ended too soon

As I sit here alone in the moonlight
And I can see your smiling face
And I long once more for your embrace
In that beautiful Kentucky waltz

¾

Verse:

I I I V
V V V I
I I I – I7 IV
IV I – VI II – V I

 

Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning

Jim,

Troubles and trials are almost over X 3
See what my lord has done
Keep your lamp trimmed and burnin X 3
See what my lord has done

Heaven's journey is almost over X 3
See what my lord has done
Brother don't you worry
Don't you worry
Don't you worry
See what my lord has done

Two thousand years have come and gone X 3
See what my lord has done
Brother don't you worry
Don't you worry
Don't you worry
See what my lord has done
Sister don't stop prayin
Sister don't stop prayin
Sister don't stop prayin
See what my lord has done.

Many are gone but not forgotten X 3
See what my lord has done
Keep your lamp trimmed and burnin X 3
See what my lord has done

Brother don't you worry
Don't you worry
Don't you worry
See what my lord has done
Brother don't stop prayin
Sister don't stop prayin
Sister don't stop prayin
See what my lord has done.

Keep your lamp trimmed and burning X 3
See what my lord has done
Keep your lamp trimmed and burning X 3
See what my lord has done

Verse:

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

 

Keep on the Sunny Side

Jim,

—Ada Blenkhorn & J. Howard Entwisle 1899, popularized by Carter Family

There's a dark and a troubled side of life
But there's a bright and a sunny side too
Though you meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side you also may view

Chorus:
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

Though the storm and its furies rage today
Crushing hope that we cherish so dear
The cloud and storm will in time pass away
And the sun again will shine bright and clear

Let us greet with a song of hope each day
Though the moment be cloudy or fair
And let us trust in our Saviour always
He'll keep us everyone in His care

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Katy Daley

Jim,

With her old man she came from Tipperary
In the pioneering days of '42
Her old man was shot in Tombstone City
For the making of his good old mountain dew

Chorus:
Oh Come on down the mountain Katy Daley
Come on down the mountain Katy do
Can't you hear us calling Katy Daley
We want to drink your good old mountain dew

Wake up and pay attention Katy Daley
For I'm the judge that's gonna sentence you
All the boys in court have drunk your whiskey
To tell the truth I like a little too

So to the jail they took poor Katy Daley
And pretty soon the gates were open wide
Angels came for poor old Katy Daley
Took her far across the great divide

Verse and Chorus:

I I I V
V V V I