Author: Jim

Down to the River to Pray

Jim,

Verse:
As I went down to the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way

Chorus:
Oh sisters let's go down
Let's go down come on down
Oh sisters let's go down
Down to the river to pray

Chorus 2:
Oh brothers let's go down…

Chorus 3:
Oh fathers let's go down…

Chorus 4:
Oh mothers let's go down…

Chorus 5:
Oh sinners let's go down…

Verse:

I I-V V-I
I I V I

Chorus:

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

 

Down the Road

Jim,

Now down the road just a mile or two
Lives a little girl named Pearly Blue
About so high and her hair is brown
The prettiest thing boys in this town

Now anytime you want to know
Where I'm going, down the road
Get my girl on the line
You'll find me there most any old time

Now everyday and Sunday too
I go to see my Pearly Blue
Before you hear that rooster crow
You'll see me headed down the road

Now old man Flatt he owned the farm
From the hog lot to the barn
From the barn to the rail
He made his living by carrying the mail

Now every time I get the blues
I walk the soles right off my shoes
I don't know why I love her so
That gal of mine lives down the road

Verse:

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

 

Down In the Willow Garden

Jim,

Down in the willow garden where me and my love did meet
There we sat a—courting my love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of burgundy wine which my true love did not know
And there I poisoned that dear little girl down by the banks below

I drew my saber through her which was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river which was an awful sight
My father often told me that money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little miss whose name was Rose Connelly

Now he sits by his old cabin door a wiping his tear—brimmed eyes
Mourning for his only son out on the scaffold high
My race is run beneath the sun the devil is waiting for me
For I did murder that dear little girl whose name was Rose Connelly

¾

Verse:

I I I VIm
I I VIm VIm
I I I VIm
I V I I

Chorus:

I I I I
I I VIm VIm
I I I VIm
I V I I

 

Down in the Valley

Jim,

See also Birmingham Jail

—Pete Seager version

Down in the valley valley so low
Hang your head over hear the wind blow
Hear the wind blow dear hear the wind blow
Hang your head over hear the wind blow

Roses love sunshine violets love dew
Angels in heaven know I love you
Know I love you dear know I love you
Angels in heaven know I love you

If you don't love me love whom you please
Throw your arms 'round me give my heart ease
Give my heart ease love give my heart ease
Throw your arms round me give my heart ease

Build me a castle forty feet high
So I can see him as he rides by
As he rides by love as he rides by
So I can see him as he rides by

Write me a letter send it by mail
Send it in care of Birmingham jail
Birmingham jail love Birmingham jail
Send it in care of Birmingham jail

Verse:

I I I V
V V V I
I I I V
V V V I

 

Dooley

Jim,

Dooley was a good old man, he lived below the mill
Dooley had two daughters and a forty gallon still
One gal watched the boiler the other watched the spout
Mama corked the bottles when old Dooley fetched them out

Chorus:
Dooley, slipping up the holler
Dooley, trying to make a dollar
Dooley, give me a swaller and I'll pay you back some day

The revenuers came for him a slipping through the woods
Dooley kept behind them all and never lost his goods
Dooley was a trader when into town he'd come
Sugar by the bushel and molasses by the ton

I remember very well the day old Dooley died
The women folk looked sorry and the men stood 'round and cried
Now Dooley's on the mountain he lies there all alone
They put a jug beside him and a barrel for a stone
Down In The Willow Garden Bill Monroe

Verse:

I IV I V
I IV I-V I  :|

Chorus:

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

 

Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky

Jim,

Darling, I have come to tell you
Though it almost breaks my heart
But before the morning darling
We'll be many miles apart

Chorus:
Don't this road look rough and rocky
Don't that sea look wide and deep
Don't my baby look the sweetest
When she's in my arms asleep

Can't you hear the night birds crying
Far across the deep blue sea
While of others you are thinking
Won't you sometimes think of me

One more kiss before I leave you
One more kiss before we part
You have caused me lots of trouble
Darling you have broke my heart

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Don't Think Twice

Jim,

—Bob Dylan

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm travelin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
And it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I'm a—thinkin' and a—wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right

I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, gal
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right

Verse:

I – V VIm IV I
I – V VIm II V – V7
I I7 IV II7
I – V VIm – IV I – V I

 

Chart in D

Verse:

D – A Bm G A – A7
D – A Bm E7 A – A
D D7 G E7
D – A Bm – G D – A D

Don't Let Your Deal Go Down

Jim,

—Charlie Poole
Now I've been all
Around this whole wide world
Down to Memphis, Tennessee
Any old place I hang my hat
Looks like home to me

Now I left my
Little girl crying
Standing in the door
Throwed her arms around my neck
Saying 'honey, don't you go'

Now I've been all around
This whole wide world
Done most everything
I've played cards
With the king and the queen
Discard the ace and the ten

Chorus:
Oh it's don't let your deal go down
Don't let your deal go down
Don't let your deal go down
Before my last gold dollar is gone

Now where did you get them
High top shoes?
Dress you wear so fine?
Got my shoes
From a railroad man
And my dress from a driver in the mine

Who's gonna shoe your
Pretty white feet?
Who's gonna glove your hand?
Who's gonna kiss your
Lily white cheeks?
Who's gonna be your man?

Now papa may shoe my
Pretty white feet
Mama can glove my hand
She can kiss my
Lily white cheeks
'till you come back again

Verse and Chorus:

VI II V I
VI II V I

 


Do Re Mi

Jim,

—Woody Guthrie

Lots of folks back East, they say, is leavin' home every day,
Beatin' the hot old dusty way to the California line.
Cross the desert sands they roll, gettin' out of that old dust bowl,
They think they're goin' to a sugar bowl, but here's what they find
Now, the police at the port of entry say,
You're number fourteen thousand for today.

Chorus:
Oh, if you ain't got the do re mi, folks, you ain't got the do re mi,
Why, you better go back to beautiful Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee.
California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see;
But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the do re mi.

You want to buy you a home or a farm, that can't deal nobody harm,
Or take your vacation by the mountains or sea.
Don't swap your old cow for a car, you better stay right where you are,
Better take this little tip from me.
'Cause I look through the want ads every day
But the headlines on the papers always say…

Verse:

I IV V I
I IV V I
V V V V7

Chorus:

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

 

Dixie Darlin'

Jim,

—by A.P. Carter

Chorus:
My Dixie darlin', listen to the song I sing
Beneath the silver moon, with my banjo right in tune
My heart is ever true, I love no one but you,
My Dixie darlin', my Dixie queen.

Way down below the Mason-Dixie line
Down where the honeysuckles are entwined
There's where the southern winds are blowing
There's where the daisies growing

The girls of the North in the gay fin-e-ree
Whirling around in so-ci-e-tee
Singin' the song of Dixie darlin'
Where I long to be

Goin' down South to have a big time
To see my girl in old Caroline,
I'll drink my booze and do as I please
For all those girls I long to squeeze

Singin' the song of Dixie darlin'
There's where I long to be goin'
Down where the jelly roll's rolling
With my Dixie queen

Chorus:

I I I I
I V I I
I I I I
I V V I

Verse:

I I I I
I I I I
V V V V
I I I I