—Flatt & Scruggs

Can't you hear the whistle of my big spike hammer
Lord it's busting my side
I've done all I can do to keep that woman happy
Still she's not satisfied

Chorus:
Hey hey Della Mae
Why do you treat me this way
Hey hey Della Mae
I'll get even some day

I'm the best hammer swinger on this big section gang
Big Bill Johnson is my name
Lord this hammer that I swing for a dollar and a half a day
I'll all for my Della Mae

Now I've been lots of places, not much I ain't done
There's still alot of things I'd like to see
Lord this hammer that I swing or the woman that I love
Yes, one's gonna be the death of me

Big Spike Hammer Big Spike Hammer

Verse:

I	I – VIm	IV	VIm
I	I – VIm	IV	VIm	V

Chorus:

I	I	I	I
I	I	I – V	I

 

—Circa 1906, Marshall P. Locke and Charles Tyner
Intro:
One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fire was burning
Down the track came a hobo hiking and he said boys I'm not turning
I'm headin for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains
So come with me we'll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains

Verses:
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and bright
Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night
Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day
On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees
Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs
And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs
The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay
Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow
Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks
And the little streams of alcohol come a—trickling down the rocks
The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind
There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too
You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin
And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in
There ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks
I'm a goin to stay where you sleep all day
Where they hung the jerk that invented work
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains

Intro:

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

Verse:

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

Tag:

I

IV

I

IV

I

V

I

 

—Johnny Cash

Look at all the pretty girls walking down the street
Kicking up their heels they're happy on their feet
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin' in Davenport,
And I followed you, Big River, when you called.

Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone.
I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.

Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I've had enough; dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.

Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

Verse and Chorus:

I	I	II	V
I	IV	I – V	I

 

Oh once upon a time in Arkansas
An old man sat in his little cabin door
And fiddled at a tune that he liked to hear
A jolly old tune that he played by ear

It was raining hard but the fiddler didn't care
He sawed away at the popular air
Though his rooftop leaked like a waterfall
That didn't seem to bother the old man at all

A traveler was riding by that day
And stopped to hear him a—fiddling away
The cabin was afloat and his feet were wet
But the old man still didn't seem to fret

So the stranger said Now the way it seems to me
You'd better mend your roof said he
But the old man said as he played away
I couldn't mend it now it's a rainy day

The traveler replied that's all quite true
But this I think is the thing for you to do
Get busy on a day that is fair and bright
Then patch the old roof till it's good and tight

But the old man kept on a—playing at his reel
And tapped the ground with his leathery heel
Get along said he for you give me a pain
My cabin never leaks when it doesn't rain

Verse:

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

Chorus:

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

 

—Red Allen

Are you waiting just for me my darling
While I'm across the deep blue sea
Or have you found someone else my darling
Please tell me are you waiting just for me?

While I'm writing you tonight my darling
There's such a burning deep down in my breast
I know you promised that you would be faithful
Please tell me darling have you stood the test?

You've never given me of course I'm doubt you
You have always been so true and fine
But my spirit keeps on singing low
For appearing then a new love you might find

Verse & Chorus

I	I	I – IV	IV…
V	V	I	I

 

—Lilly Brothers

Are you tired of me my darling
Did you mean those words you said
When you spoke in fond affection
On the day that we were wed

Chorus:
Tell me could you live life over
Would you make it otherwise
Are you tired of me my darling
Answer only with your eyes

Did you ever rue the springtime
When we first each other met
And you told me that you'd love me
Words my heart can n'er forget

Verse:

I	IV	V	I
I	IV	V	I

Chorus:

V	I	IV	I
I	IV	V	I