Author: Jim

Dink's Song (Fare Thee Well)

Jim,

—Recorded by Alan Lomax 1909. Dink was the woman who sang it.

If I had wings like Noah's dove
I'd fly the river to the one I love
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

I had a man who was long and tall
He moved his body like a cannon ball
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

I remember one evening in the pouring rain
And in my heart was an aching pain
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

Muddy river runs muddy and wild
You can't give a bloody for my unborn child
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

Just as sure as the birds fly high above
Life ain't worth living without the one you love
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

tag: Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

Nina Simone verse:

If I had listened to what my mama said
Wouldn't have so much confusion in my aching head
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well

Verse:

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


Diddie Wah Diddie

Jim,

—Blind Blake

There's a great big mystery,
And it sure is worryin' me.
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie,
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie.
I sure wish someone would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

This little girl's about four feet four,
Come here to papa and give me some more.
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie,
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie.
I sure wish someone would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

I went out and walked around,
Somebody yelled look who's in town.
Mister Diddie Wah Diddie,
Mister Diddie Wah Diddie.
I sure wish someone would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

Ran to church put my hat on the seat,
Ladies said sugar daddy you sure is sweet!
Mister Diddie Wah Diddie,
Mister Diddie Wah Diddie.
I sure wish someone would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

I said sister I'll soon be home,
Just give me that thing you said you own.
My Diddie Wah Diddie,
My Diddie Wah Diddie.
I wish somebody would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

Man I got right out of church,
Because they talk about Diddie Wah Diddie too much.
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie,
It's the Diddie Wah Diddie.
I wish someone would tell me what
Diddie Wah Diddie means!

Verse:

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

 

Deep River Blues

Jim,

Let it rain, let it pour,
let it rain a whole lot more
'Cause I got them deep river blues
Let the rain drive right on,
let the waves sweep along
'Cause I got them deep river blues

My old gal's a good old pal
and she walks like a water fowl
When I get them deep river blues
Ain't no one to cry for me
and the fish all go out on a spree
When I get them deep river blues

Give me back my old boat,
I'm gonna sail it if she floats
'Cause I got them deep river blues
I'm going back to mussel shoals,
times are better there I'm told
'Cause I got them deep river blues

If my boat sinks with me
I'll go down, don't you see
'Cause I got them deep river blues
Now I'm going to say goodbye
and if I sink just let me die
'Cause I got them deep river blues

Verse:

I I° I IV
I I V V
I Iº I IV
I V I I

 

Deep Elem Blues

Jim,

—originally Black Bottom Blues by The Georgia Crackers, 1927

When you go down in Deep Elem just to have a little fun
Have your ten dollars ready when that policeman comes

Chorus:
Oh sweet mama Daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama Daddy's got them Deep Elem blues

If you go down in Deep Elem put you money in your shoes
Women in Deep Elem got them Deep Elem blues.

When you go down in Deep Elem put you money in your pants
Cause them redheads in Deep Elem never give a man a chance

When you go down to Deep Elem put your money in your socks
Them Deep Elem women they will throw you on the rocks

I used to know a preacher preached the Bible through and through
He went down to Deep Elem now his preachin' days are through.

Now once I had a sweetheart she meant the world to me
She went down to Deep Elem she ain't what she used to be.

Verse:

I I I I7

Chorus:

IV IV I I
V V I I

alternate verses:

Her papa's a policeman, and her mama walks the street;
Her papa met her mama when they both were on the beat.

Well, I went down to Deep Elum just to get a little booze,
And now I'm on the chain gang, wearing them brogan shoes.

If you've got a good little woman, better keep her by your side,
That old __ take your baby and ride.

 

Deadheads & Suckers

Jim,

—Crockett Ward

Chorus:
Oh its Deadheads and Suckers, how can you live
How can you live, darling, how can you live
Deadheads and Suckers, how can you live
When there's good men dying every day

Oh I'm going round the mountain, I'm bound to leave you now
Bound to leave you now, darlin', bound to leave you now
Oh I'm going round the mountain, I'm bound to leave you now
And darlin', I don't know what to do

Light in the graveyard that outshines the sun,
Outshines the sun, darlin', outshines the sun,
Light in the graveyard that outshines the sun,
And darlin' I don't know what to do.

High Sheriff and police running after me
Running after me, running after me
High Sheriff and police running after me
And Lordy, I don't know what to do

Mighty happy meeting, and don't you want to go
Don't you want to go, don't you want to go
Mighty happy meeting, and don't you want to go
Yes, We'll all go

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

Darling Corey

Jim,

(Dig a Hole in the Meadow)

Chorus:
Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Dig a hole in the cold ground
Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Gonna lay darling Corey down

Well the first time I seen darling Corey
She was standing by the sea
Had a forty-four strapped across her bosom
And a banjo on her knee

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
What makes you sleep so sound?
The revenue officers are coming
Gonna tear your still house down

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
And go get my my gun
I ain't no man for trouble
But I'll die before I run

Go away, go away, darling Corey
Quit hanging around my bed
Bad liquor ruined my body
Pretty women gone to my head

Can't you hear them bluebirds singing
Don't you hear that mournful sound
Preachin' darlin' Corey's funeral
It's the lonesome graveyard ground

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

Dark Hollow

Jim,

—Joe Val

I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't never shine
Than to be here alone just knowin' that you're gone
It would cause me to lose my mind

Chorus:
So blow your whistle freight train
Blow it far on down the track
I'm going away, I'm leavin' today
I'm going but I ain't comin' back

I'd rather be in some dark hollow
Where the sun don't never shine
Than to be here in some big city
In a small room with you on my mind

Verse and Chorus:

I V I I
I IV I I
I VII IV IV
I V I I

 

Dark as a Dungeon

Jim,

—Merle Travis

Come and listen, young fellers, so young and so fine
And seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mines
It will form as a habit and seep in your soul
'Til the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal

Chorus:
Where it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew
Where the dangers are double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mines

There's many a man who I've known in my day
Who lived just to labor his whole life away
Like a fiend with his dope or a drunkard his wine
A man will have lust for the lure of the mines

Well I hope when I'm gone and the ages shall roll
My body will blacken and turn into coal
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner that's digging my bones

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

Daddy's Gone To Knoxville

Jim,

—Mark Knopfler

Oh, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone, when he's gone
Yeah, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone, when he's gone
Daddy's gone down that Gallatin road
The hen never laid and the corn never growed
Oh, you're gonna miss your daddy when he's gone

Oh, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime, than a dime
Yeah, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime, than a dime
Daddy's gone down that Crossville track
If he can't make a dollar then he ain't comin' back
Oh, I'd rather have a dollar than a dime

Oh, you better love your daddy while you can, while you can
Yeah, you better love your daddy while you can, while you can
Daddy's gone south on the Natchez trace
If the can't show the money then he don't show his face
Oh, you'd better love your daddy while you can

Oh, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now, Knoxville now
Yeah, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now, Knoxville now
Daddy's gone down that Knoxville road
The dog never barked and the cock never crowed
Oh, your daddy's gone to Knoxville now

Verse:

I I IV I
I I II V
I III IV IVm#
I-VI II V I

 

Cumberland Gap

Jim,

—Spencer & Rains:

Come on boys lets take a little nap
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap

Cumberland Gap is a mighty fine place,
There's streams of whiskey to wash your face
Lay down boys and take your ease
Gonna have a battle with the ticks and fleas.

Refrain:
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap

Well ox to the wagon and everything's packed
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, oh Cumberland Gap
We'll all go down to the Cumberland Gap

When I die I'll make my will
I want to be buried on a Cumberland hill,
Cumberland Gap is now my home
Gonna leave old Cumberland alone.

Refrain

Verse:

|: I I – vi vi I :|

Refrain:

vi I IV vi
vi I IV V – I