—Joseph Spence

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head down on your savior's breast
Oh I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight…
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Lay down my dear sister, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head down on your savior's breast
Oh I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight…

Chant:
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight…
One of these mornings bright and early and fine

And I bid you…
Yes, his rod and his staff will comfort you

I'm singin' A for the Ark, that beautiful boat

Put it in the water, in the water she'll float

Singin' B for the Beast at the end of the wood

Gonna eat up all the children that would not be good

Oh John said I've seen a number of signs

I remember right well, I remember right well

Walking in Jerusalem just like John

Not a cricket, not a spirit going to shout me on

Jesus and Moses shall follow me on

Walking in the valley of the shadow of death

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head down on your savior's breast
Oh I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Verse:

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

Chant:

IV – V

I   :|

—The Carter Family

Far away in sunny mountains
Where the merry sunbeams play
There I wandered through the clover
Singing to a village maid

Chorus:
She was dearer than the dearest
Ever loving kind and true
And she wore beneath her bonnet
Amber tresses tied with blue

Fate decreed that we be parted
Ere the leaves of autumn fell
Then two hearts were separated
That had loved each other well

She was all I had to cherish
Ever loving kind and true
Now I see in every vision
Amber tresses tied with blue

She was dearer than the dearest
Ever loving kind and true
And she wore beneath her bonnet
Amber tresses tied with blue

Verse:

I	IV	I	V
I	IV	V	I

Chorus:

V	I	I	V
I	IV	V	I

 

I wish to the lord I'd never been born
Or died when I was young
I never would have seen your sparkling blue eyes
Or heard your lying tongue

Chorus:
All the good times are past and gone
All the good times are o'er
All the good times are past and gone
Little darling don't weep no more*

Don't you see that turtle dove
That flies from pine to pine
He's mourning for his own true love
Just like I mourn for mine

Come back, come back my own true love
And stay awhile with me
For if ever I've had a friend in this world
You've been that friend to me.

3/4
Verse and Chorus:

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

*Earliest recording by Fred & Gertude Gossett in 1930, the chorus ends with "Darlin' don't you weep for me." Also the Monroe Brothers and the Lilly Brothers chose this ending.

Chorus:
I'm all prayed up, I'm ready to meet my Savior
Eternal life is waitin' in the by and by
I'm all prayed up, my faith will never waiver
Heaven's doors gonna swing wide open when I die

I made my peace with Jesus a long long time ago
I trusted Him and He would save my soul
I walked up there beside Him, He guides me on my way
I know He hears me when I kneel and pray

Now I ain't afraid of Satan, his wicked way of sin
Well he tempted me but he could not pull me in
When I've gone to live with Jesus, face my judgement day
He'll fulfill me for the promise that He made

Chorus: & Tag:
I'm all prayed up, my faith will never waiver
Heaven's doors gonna swing wide open when I die

Verse and Chorus:

I	IV	I	I	V
I	IV	I	V	I

 

—Jimmy Martin

Chorus:
Oh there ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone
There ain't nobody gonna mourn for me too long
Oh won't you write these words upon my tombstone
There ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone

Once I had a little sweetheart I love dearly
We planned the day when she would be my own
Another man he stole my darlin from me
And there ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone

I had a lovin mother dear and daddy
They've gone to live where the angels love to dwell
They found eternal life up there in heaven
Where I'll find my reward none can tell

Now you've been faithful kind and true to me old Copper
You're the only one that's never done me wrong
I am weepin while I pat your head ol Copper
For there ain't nobody gonna miss me when I'm gone

Verse and Chorus:

I	IV	I	V
I	IV	I-V	I

 

Chorus:
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Ooh, ooh, ooh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Ooh, ooh, ooh

You should've been on the river in nineteen and ten
Ooh, ooh, ooh
They were drivin' the women just like they drove the men
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Go down Old Hannah, don't you rise no more
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Don't you rise up 'til Judgment Day's for sure
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Captain, don't you do me like you done poor old Shine
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Well ya drove that bully 'til he went stone blind
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Wake up on a lifetime, hold up your own head
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Well, you may get a pardon and then you might drop dead
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Chorus:

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

Verse:

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

 

Oh I'm gonna leave this country
Lord I'm going around this world
Oh I'm gonna leave this country
For the sake of one little girl

Chorus:
Oh I ain't gonna work tomorrow
I ain't gonna work this day
Lord I ain't gonna work tomorrow
For it may be a rainy day

Don't you hear my banjo ringing
Don't you hear that mournful sound
Don't you hear those pretty girls laughing
Standing on that cold cold ground

Oh I'll hang my head in sorrow
Oh I'll hang my head and cry
Oh I'll hang my head in sorrow
As my darling passes by

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

—Maria Muldaur's version

Chorus:
I ain't going to marry, I ain't going to settle down,
I ain't going to marry, I ain't going to settle down,
I'm gonna lay round here and run you men around.

Just when you think that your lovin' man is true,
Just when you think that your lovin' man is true,
He's my man, your man, and somebody else's too.

Big Fat woman with the meat shakin 'on her bones
Big fat woman with the meat shakin' on her bones
Every time she makes a shimmy skinny woman leave her home

Verse and Chorus:

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