Author: Jim

I'll Cry Tomorrow

Jim,

—Buzz Busby

I'll cry tomorrow, 'cause my love's gone away

I'll cry tomorrow, I won't cry today
Cause when I see you I want to be brave
You were out with another, I saw you last night
Standing there on your doorstep
You were holding him tight

Chorus:
I'll cry tomorrow, I won't cry today
I'll cry tomorrow, 'cause my loves gone away

A handshake, a kiss, a smile, a pleasant goodbye
Is better than false words and all alibis
And when you're gone, love you'll never know why
Today I won't weaken, tomorrow I'll cry

I'll cry tomorrow, I won't cry today
I'll cry tomorrow, 'cause your loves gone away

¾

Intro:

IV I I V I I

Verse:

I I VIm IV I I
I II II II V V
V I VIm IV I I
IV I VIm V I I

Chorus:

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

 

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

Jim,

—Bob Dylan

Close your eyes, close the door
You don't have to worry anymore
I'll be your baby tonight

Shut the light, shut the shade
You don't have to be afraid
I'll be your baby tonight

Bridge:
Well, that mockingbird's gonna sail away
We're gonna forget it
That big, fat moon is gonna shine like a spoon
But we're gonna let it, you won't regret it

Kick your shoes off, do not fear
Bring that bottle over here
I'll be your baby tonight

Verse:

I I II II
IV V I I

Bridge:

IV I II V

 

I Wonder Where You Are Tonight

Jim,

—Johnny Bond

Tonight I'm sad my heart is weary
Wondering if I'm wrong or right
To think about you though you left me
I wonder where you are tonight

Chorus:
The rain is cold and slowly falling
Upon my window pane tonight
And though your love seems even colder
I wonder where you are tonight

Your heart was cold you never loved me
Though you often said you cared
And now you've gone to find another
Someone who knows the love I shared

Then came the dawn the day you left me
I tried to smile with all my might
But you could see the pain within me
That lingers in my heart tonight

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home

Jim,

—F.W. Vandersloot

Well I wonder how the old folks are at home
I wonder if they miss me while I roam
I wonder if they pray for the boy who went away
And left his dear old parents all alone

Chorus:
You could hear the cattle lowing in the lane
You could see the fields of blue grass where I've grown
You could almost hear them cry as they kissed their boy goodbye
Well I wonder how the old folks are at home

Just a village and a homestead on the farm
And a mother's love to shield you from all harm
A mother's love so true a sweetheart that loves you
A village and a homestead on the farm

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

I Saw the Light

Jim,

—Hank Williams

I wandered so aimless my heart filled with sin
I wouldn't let my dear Savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
Praise the Lord I saw the light

Chorus:
I saw the light I saw the light
No more darkness no more night
Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord I saw the light

Just like a blind man I wandered alone
Worries and fears I claimed for my own
Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight
Praise the Lord I saw the light

I was a fool to wander and stray
For straight is the gate and narrows the way
Now I have traded the wrong for the right
Praise the Lord, I saw the light

Verse and Chorus:

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

I Don't Love Nobody

Jim,

—Lew Sully 1896, Red Allen's version

Chorus:
Well I don't nobody, nobody loves me
All they want's my money, they don't care for me
I just want to live single, happy and carefree
I don't love nobody, nobody loves me

One day I went out walking, walking down Johnson street
I met a little old lady, she smiled at me so sweet
Said hello my honey, how are you today
Just as I started to kiss her, these words I heard her say

Lord… Chorus

Next day I went out walking, walking down Johnson street
I met the same little lady, she was dressed up so neat
She smiled at me and said hello, how are you today
Tipped my hat and said hello and journeyed on my way

'Cause… Chorus

More verses:

Went down to Alabama, settled down for life
Met a gal named Dinah, and I chose her for my wife
Told her that I loved her, asked her to be wed
She didn't hesitate a bit and this is what she said, oh!

I was born in Kentucky, lived there all of my life
Thought I'd better be lucky, never had no wife
I once thought I'd get married, I asked a little girl to wed
But when I asked her to marry me, this is what she said

I don't love nobody, nobody loves me
I'm just like a little apple, a hanging on a tree,
Don't nobody want me, I can plainly see
I don't love nobody and nobody loves me! (Woody Guthrie)

Verse:

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

Bridge on many versions:

VIm VIm III7 VIm
VIm VIm III7 VIm – V

 


Variations

Elizabeth Cotton:
I don't love nobody, nobody don't love me
All they want is my money, they got no time for me
Think I will live single, be free all of my life
I don't love nobody, Nobody don't love me

Grandpa Jones:
Well I don't nobody, nobody loves me
You're just after my money, don't care for me
Always I've been single, always I been free
I don't love nobody, nobody loves me

Minor bridge:
Went down to Alabama, settled down for life
Met a gal named Dinah, and I chose her for my wife
Told her that I loved her, asked her to be wed
She didn't hesitate a bit and this is what she said:

Notation in C…


I Did the Leaving for You

Jim,

—Junior Sisk

All you ever talk about's how bad you got it here,
Say that all I ever do is sit here drinking beer.
But if you'd listen to yourself, you might just drink one too,
You say you wanna leave me, well here's your chance to follow through.

Chorus:
I called your Mama, so you'd have a place to stay,
And there's some money packed inside your old suitcase.
You won't have to worry, or wonder what to do,
I packed your bags and did the leaving for you.

After twenty years of fightin', we just couldn't make it work,
No matter what I'd do for you, it only gets worse.
The car is all gassed up, and darlin' here's the key,
It's time for me to start over, and time for you to leave.

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

I Am a Pilgrim

Jim,

— Merle Travis

Chorus:
I am a pilgrim and a stranger
Traveling through this wearisome land
And I've got a home in that yonder city, good Lord
And it's not (good Lordy it's not) not made by hand

I got a mother, a sister and a brother
Who have gone to that sweet home
And I am determined to go and see them, good Lord
Over on (good Lordy over on) that distant shore

I'm going down to that river Jordan
Just to bathe my weary soul
If I could touch but just the hem of His garment, good Lord
I believe (good Lordy I believe) that it would make me whole

Now when I'm dead, laying in my coffin
All of my friends all gather round
They can say that he's just laying there sleeping, good Lord
Sweet peace (Lordy sweet peace) his soul is found

Chorus and Verse:

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

 

I Ain't Broke, But I'm Badly Bent

Jim,

— Martha Ellis, 1953

I'm going back to the country, cause I can't pay my rent
No I'm not completely broke, but brother I'm badly bent
Can't understand, where my money went
Well, I'm not broke, but I'm badly bent.

They warned me 'bout the city, about the city life
But I thought I knew everything, and took no one's advice.
Now I wonder where my money went
Well, ain't broke, but I'm badly bent.

When I get back to the country, I'll be livin' in a tent.
'Cause my Ma and Pa are gonna be mad 'bout all the money I spent
Can't understand where my money went
Well, I ain't broke, but I'm badly bent.

Well, I had plenty money, but to the city I went
I met too many purty gals, and now my money's spent
And now I know, where my money went
Well, I ain't broke, but I'm badly bent.

Tag:
Well, I know, just where it went
I ain't broke, but brother I'm badly bent.

I I IV I
IV I I I7
IV IV I I
V V I I

 

Wayne Benson Break


Ray Legere's Break


How Mountain Girls Can Love

Jim,

—Stanley Brothers

Chorus:
Get down boys, go back home
Back to the girl you love
Treat her right, never wrong
How mountain girls can love

Riding the night in the high cold winds
On the trail of the old lonesome pine
Thinking of you, feeling so blue
Wondering why you left me behind

Remember the night me strolled down the lane
Our hearts were gay and happy then
You whispered to me as I held your close
You hoped this night would never end

Verse:

I I V I
I I V I

Chorus:

IV I V I
IV I V I