Category: Songs L-O

Losing You

Jim,

—Jimmy Martin

There's no such thing as sleep for jealous fools
And being jealous of someone like you is sorta foolish too
The life you chose is the life you want I guess
Loosin' you might be the best thing yet

Chorus:
The longest day I lived I'd still be suffering from the shame
In the gutter you were makin yourself quite a name
I wanted you and you wanted…
Anyone you could get
Loosin' you might be the best thing yet

Patiently I sit alone and wait
Knowin' where you were and what you were doin
Turn'd my love to hate
My foolishness is all that i regret
Loosin' you might be the best thing yet

Chorus

Loosin' you might be the best thing yet…

¾

Verse:

I I7 IV IV
IV I II V
I I7 IV IV
I I – V V – I I

Chorus:

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

Lonesome River

Jim,

—Carter Stanley

I sit here alone on the banks of the river
The lonesome wind blows the water rolls high
I hear a voice calling out there in the darkness
I sit here alone too lonesome to cry

Chorus:
Oh the water rolls high on the river at midnight
I sit on the shore to grieve and to cry
The woman I love she left me this morning
With no one to love or kiss me goodnight

We met there one night by the banks of the river
Sat there holding hands and making our vows
Swore we'd never part and be happy together
But a new love she's found she's gone from me now

¾

Verse:

I I IV I
IV I V I

Chorus:

I I I I
I I V I

 

Mean Mother Blues

Jim,

—John Starling (The Seldom Scene)

When I got home I found my baby away
Lord a lil' piece of paper said she'd gone out to play
I know the river's done gone dry, she's trapped another fly
I got nuthin' to do, but a few more words to say

Chorus:
I got the mean woman blues
Lord knows I'd lose
I just can't seem to get her off my mind
She's an all night rockin' mother
Lord knows I love her
She's leavin' me to ramble on up the line

When she moved in I kissed the blues goodbye
She lit my torch and left the burners on high
Lord the money that I paid
For that livin', lovin', maid
Now she left me here to grieve, moan and cry

Chorus

If you hear my song, you know just what I mean
Lord I think it's all just a part of woman's scheme
If you're buyin' what she sells
She'll run you straight to hell
Captivate your mind and pick your truth so clean

Chorus

Verse:

I V I I
III7 III7 IV IV
IV IV I-III7 VIm
II7 V7 I I

Chorus:

V V IV I
II7 II7 V V
IV IV I-III7 VIm
II7 V7 I I

 

Long Tall Texan

Jim,

—Murry Kellum, 1963

   Giddyup… giddyup…

Well I'm a long tall Texan, I ride a big white horse
   He rides from Texas on a big white horse
Yes I'm a long tall Texan, I ride a big white horse
   He rides from Texas on a big white horse
Well people look at me and say,
oh-rah, oh-rah, is that your horse?
   He rides from Texas on a big white horse

Well I'm a long tall Texan, I wear a ten-gallon hat
   He rides from Texas wearing a ten-gallon hat
Yes I'm a long tall Texan, I wear a ten-gallon hat
   He rides from Texas wearing a ten-gallon hat
Well people look at me and say,
oh-rah, oh-rah, is that your hat?
   He rides from Texas wearing a ten-gallon hat

Bridge:
Well I was walking down the street, With my shiny badge
My spurs jingling there at my feet
I seen a man a'coming, Coming with a gun and
I just can't be beat

Yes I'm a long tall Texan, I enforce justice for the law
   He rides from Texas to enforce the law
Well I'm a long tall Texan, I enforce justice for the law
   He rides from Texas to enforce the law
Well people look at me and say,
oh-rah, oh-rah, is you the law?
   He rides from Texas to enforce the law

Verse:

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

Bridge:

IV IV I I
IV IV II V

 

Nobody Loves Me, Nobody Cares

Jim,

—Zeke Clements

Nobody loves me nobody cares
If life is empty and full of tears
I've longed for true love searched everywhere
Nobody loves me nobody cares

Searching for true love has been in vain
Through years my heart has suffered with pain
Life's lonesome burden now I must bear
Nobody loves me nobody cares

Nights on my pillow I dream of love
Through space I gaze at the stars above
They seem to whisper from way up there
Nobody loves you nobody cares

A lonesome heart and a troubled mind
In this world now is all I find
I look to heaven for I know there
Someone will love me someone will care

Verse:

I IV I V
I IV I – V I

On the Old Kentucky Shore

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

I walked out to the graveyard
Down by the Church of God
I looked upon the one I love
That would soon be covered with sod

Chorus:
Up along the Ohio River
Over on the old Kentucky shore
Once dwelled a fair young maiden
Now there's a crepe upon her door

The angels took my darling
God needed the one I loved
I reached the old Kentucky shore today
I'll make my plans and meet her up above

The last words that my darling said
Was tell the one I love goodbye
I would like to see him before I go
But I'll meet him in the sky

3/4
Verse and Chorus:

I I I I
I VII I I
I VII I I
I V I I

 

Old Riverman

Jim,

—Bill Monroe, and John Hartford

Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues
On the Lakeview Highway, that's the riverman's home
And home is where the heart is and he's all alone

Chorus:
But when he hears that steamboat whistle blow
He can feel that river in his soul
Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues

Three thousand miles old riverman goes
Down the Mississippi River and the Ohio
The Missouri and the Cumberland, Tennessee and Illinois
Monongahela, Allegheny and the big Conoy

Chorus 2:
But you just watch that old riverman's eyes
He always knows when the river's going to rise
Old riverman's lonesome, old riverman's blue
He's working on the river with the riverman blues
He's working on the river with the riverman blues

Verse

Im Im Im Im
IV-VII VII-V Im Im
Im Im Im Im
IV-VII VII-V Im Im

Chorus

IV IV I I
IV IV V V
Im Im Im Im
IV-VII VII-V Im Im

 

No Place To Pillow My Head

Jim,

—Charlie Monroe

Chorus:
No home (no home) no home (no home)
No place to pillow my head
The days seems so sad and the nights are so long
Since daddy and mother are dead

Once I was happy a heart free from care
Had a daddy and a momma so sweet
Dolls and the doggies and playthings so dear
And stockings and shoes on my feet

But now through this world I must wonder alone
Begging for pennies and bread
For I have no daddy or momma or home
No place to pillow my head

Chorus

My daddy is resting far over the sea
In the fields were the poppies peek through
Marked by the cross that shines with green leaves
Beside his comrades so true

His soul is gone to the Father above
May slumber be peaceful and sweet
The battle is over for him over there
The bugle has sounded reprieve

Chorus

3/4
Verse

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

Chorus (after two verses)

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

 

New John Henry Blues

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

John Henry was a little colored boy
You could hold him on the palm of your hand
And his papa cried out this lonesome farewell
Son gonna be a steel drivin'man Lord Lord
Son gonna be a steel drivin'man

John Henry went upon the mountain
Looked down on the other side
Lord the mountain was so tall
John Henry was so small
He laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord
He laid down his hammer and he cried

John Henry walked to the top
Had his captain by his side
The last words that John Henry said
Bring me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Lord Lord
Bring a cool drink of water 'fore I die

Talk about John Henry as much as you please
Say and do all that you can
Never was born in these united states
Nonesuch a steel drivin'man Lord Lord
Nonesuch a steel drivin'man

John Henry told his captain
I want to go to bed
Fix me a pallet of straw to lay down
Got money roarin'in my head Lord Lord
Got money roarin'in my head

Verse

I I I V
I I I I I  V-I

 

My Savior's Train

Jim,

—The Monroe Brothers

Chorus:
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
I'm homeward bound (I'm homeward bound), where I'll be crowned (where I'll be crowned)
When this train arrives in Heaven, there with Christ I will remain
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

Since my sins have been forgiven, I'll be on my journey home
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
Jesus gives me transportation, I'll go home with Him to reign
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

I have left all sinful pleasure, and engaged in songs and prayer
Since Jesus came (since Jesus came) and paid my fare (and paid my fare)
Now I'm safely riding homeward for with Christ will still remain
I'm riding on my Savior's train

I shall not refuse a ticket who will leave all sin and shame
To save on love (to save on love) my Savior's train (my Savior's train)
Sinners if you cannot ride this train, you are the ones to blame
I'm riding on (I'm riding on) my Savior's train

Chorus (x 2)

Verse

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

Chorus

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