Author: Jim

Hello Trouble

Jim,

—Buck Owens

Woke up this morning, happy as could be
Looked out my window, and what did I see?
A comin' up my sidewalk just as plain as day
A well a here come trouble that I never thought I'd see
When you went away

Chorus:
Hello trouble, come on in
You talk about heartaches
Where'n the world ya been?
I ain't had the miseries
Since you been gone
Hello trouble, trouble, trouble
Welcome home

We'll make a pot of coffee
And you can rest your shoes
You can tell me them sweet lies
And I'll listen to you
For I'm just a little part of
Of the life you've lived
But I'd rather have a little bit of trouble
Than to never know the love you give

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

Hear Jerusalem Moan

Jim,

Well I got a home on the other shore
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
I know I'll live there forever more
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan

Chorus:
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
Thank God there's a Heaven and a
ringin' in my soul and my soul set free
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan

Well now Sister Mary she wears a chain
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
And on every link is a Jesus' name
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan

The devil wears a hypocrite shoe
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
You don't watch out he's gonna step 'em on you
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan

Now the Methodist preacher is a mighty fine man
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan
Showin' us the way to the promised land
Don't you hear Jerusalem moan

Verse and Chorus:

I I I I
I I I-V I
I I I I
I I I-V I

 

Hard Times

Jim,

—Stephen Foster

Let us pause in life's pleasures
and count it's many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,
Oh Hard Times come again no more.

Chorus:
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary;
Hard TImes, Hard TImes, come again no more,
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,
Oh! Hard TImes, come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty
and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door,
Tho' their voices are silent their pleading looks still say,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Hard Pressed

Jim,

—Tim O'Brien

Chorus:
Hard pressed we can find a way
Night is almost gone, it'll be another day
If we're hard pressed we can find a way

Fears, trials, and troubles have we all
The road is rough and rocky, you'll stumble and fall
Pray to him and he will hear your call
Refrain:
If we're hard pressed we can find a way

I'm proud to have a family of my own
I know I'm lucky to have my health and home
I don't have much but I won't be alone
Refrain:
If we're hard pressed we can find a way

So make me a pillow for my head
I'll remember words that my daddy once said
When he was trying to keep his family fed
Refrain:
If we're hard pressed we can find a way
If we're hard pressed we can find a way

Chorus:

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

Refrain:

I V I I

 

Hard Hearted

Jim,

Chorus:
Hard hearted heart breaker
Dream stealer, love maker
Hard hearted heart breaker
How many hearts have you broken today
How many hearts have you broken today

How many lives have you caused to go wrong
How many hearts have been broken in two
Just because your heart has proved untrue
How many lies have you told other guys

Just like the ones you told to me
Honey, someday you'll learn that the tide'll have to turn
Just keep on breaking hearts and you will see
How many hearts have you broken today

Chorus:

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

Verse:

V V I I
V V I I
V V I I
II II V V

 


Handsome Molly

Jim,

Well I wish was in London
Or some other seaport town
Step my foot in a steamboat
And sail the ocean round

Chorus:
Sailing round the ocean
Sailing round the sea
I'd think of Handsome Molly
Wherever she may be

She went to church last Sunday
She passed me on by
I knew her mind was changing
By the roving of her eye

Her hair as black as a raven's
Her eyes were black as coal
Her teeth shown like lilies
Out in the morning cold

Now do you remember Molly
When you give me your right hand
Said if you ever married
I'd be your man

Now you've broke your promise
Go marry whom you please
My heart is broken
'Til I get some ease

Verse:

I I I V
V V IV I

 

Gum Tree Canoe

Jim,

On the Tombigbee River so bright I was born
In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn
It was there I first met with my Julia so true
And I rowed her about in our gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

All day in the field the soft cotton I'd hoe
I'd think of my Julia and sing as I go
I'll catch her a bird with a wing of true blue
And at night sail her round in our gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

With my hands on the banjo and toe on the oar
I sing to the sound of the river's soft roar
While the stars they look down on my Julia so true
And dance in her eye in our gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

One night the stream bore us so far away
That we couldn't come back, so we thought we'd just stay
We spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue
And she took us in tow in our gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Ground Hog

Jim,

—New Lost City Ramblers version

Call up your hounds and whistle up your dogs
Call up your hounds and whistle up your dogs
We're goin' to the mountain to catch a ground hog
Oh, ground hog

Old Joe Digger, Sam and Dave,(x2)
Went a hog huntin' as hard as they could say
Oh, ground hog

Too many rocks and too many logs,(x2)
Too many rocks to catch a ground hogs ,
Oh, ground hog

Stand back, boys, and let's be wise,(x2)
I think I see his beady little eyes,
Oh, ground hog

Work, boys, work just as hard as you can tear,(x2)
The meat'll do to eat and the hide'll do to wear,
Oh, ground hog

Sam aimed the gun and Dave pulled the trigger (X2)
But the man that killed the groundhog was Old Joe Digger
Oh, ground hog

Out come Sally with a snigger and a grin,(x2)
Ground hog gravy all over her chin,
Oh, ground hog

Now catch him boys he's about to fall, (X2)
He's eaten so his pants won't button at all
Oh, ground hog

Goin' down the road and the road is mighty muddy, (X2)
I'm so damn drunk and I can't stand steady
Oh, ground hog

He's in here boys, the hole's wore slick,(x2)
C'mon, Sam with your forked stick,
Oh, ground hog

Little piece of cornbread sittin' on the shelf,(x2)
If you want any more you can sing it yourself,
Oh, ground hog

Verse:

I I I I
I I I-V I

 

Gotta Travel On

Jim,

—printed in Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag, 1927
Chorus:
I've laid around and played around this old town too long
Summers almost gone, winters coming on
I've laid around and played around this old town too long
And I feel like I've gotta travel on

High sheriff and police riding after me
Riding after me, yes, coming after me
High sheriff and police riding after me
And I feel like I've gotta travel on

Poppa writes to Johnny but Johnny can't come home
Johnny can't come home, no, Johnny can't come home
Poppa writes to Johnny but Johnny can't come home
Cause he's been on the chain gang too long

Want to see my honey, want to see her bad
Want to see her bad, oh, want to see her bad
Want to see my honey, want to see her bad
She's the best gal this poor boy ever had

Verse:

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

 

Gospel Plow

Jim,

—Mike Compton's version

Well, I got my hands on the gospel plow
and I wouldn't take nothin' for my journey now
Keep your hands on the plow of God

Chorus:
Hold on, hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

Well, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
All those prophets are dead and gone
Keep your hands on the plow of God

Well, I've never been to heaven but I've been told
The streets up there are made of gold
Keep your hands on the plow of God

Verse:

I VII I I
I VII I I
I I V I

Chorus:

VII VII I I
I I V I