Hills of Roane County

In the beautiful hills, way back in Roane County
There's where I roamed for many long years
There's where my heart's been tending most ever
That's where the first step of misfortune I made

I was thirty years old when I courted and married
Amanda Gilbraith I then called my wife
Her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
Just three months later I'd taken Tom's life

For twenty-five years this whole world I rambled
I went to old England to France and to Spain
But I thought of my home way back in Roane County
I boarded a steamer and come back again

I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
Not a man in that county would speak one kind word
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning
A lifetime in prison was the words that I heard

BREAK
When the train pulled out poor mother stood weepin'
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
And the last words I heard was Willie God bless you
Was Willie God bless you, God bless you, good bye

No matter what happens to me in Roane County
No matter how long my sentence may be
I'll love my old home way back in Roane County
It's way back down in old East Tennessee

Sweet Martha was grave but Corey was better
There's better and worse, although you can see
Boys when you write home from the prison in Nashville
Place one of my songs in your letter for me

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ORIGINAL LYRICS?
The following are as close to the original lyrics as researchers can get:

In the beautiful hills, in the midst of Roane County,
There's where I have roamed, for many long years;
There's where my poor heart's been tending most ever,
There's where my first steps of misfortune I made.

I was thirty years old when I courted and married,
Amanda Galbreath was then called my wife.
Her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason;
Just three months later, I'd taken Tom's life.

For twenty years this old world I rambled;
I went to old England, old France, and old Spain.
I thought of my home way back in Roane County;
I boarded a steamer and came back again.

I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston.
Not a man in that county would speak a kind word.
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning,
a lifetime of prison were the words that I heard.

The train it pulled out; poor Mother stood weeping.
And sister, she sat all alone with a sigh.
The last words I heard were: "Willie, God bless you;
Willie, God bless you, God bless you; goodbye."

The train left the shed at about eleven thirty;
The chains they did rattle, the handcuffs were tight
When Sonny Gibson took the throttle
The engine one-thirty was soon out of sight.

In the scorching hot sun I've been toiling;
Just working and worrying my poor life away.
You can measure my grave on the banks of old Cumberland
After I've finished the rest of my days.

No matter what happened to me in Roane County;
No matter how long my sentence may be,
I love my old home way back in Roane County,
Way back in the hills of East Tennessee."

OTHER LYRICS
In the beautiful hills, way back in Roane County
There's where I roamed for many long years
There's where my heart's been tending most ever
That's where the first step of misfortune I made

I was about thirty years when I courted and married
Amanda Gilbraith I then called my wife
But her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
Just three months later I'd taken Tom's life

For twenty-five years this whole world I rambled
I went to old England, to France and to Spain
But I thought of my home way back in Roane County
I boarded a steamer and came back again

I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
Not a man in the county would speak one kind word
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning
A lifetime in prison was the words that I heard

When the train pulled out poor mother stood weeping
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
And the last words I heard was "Willie God bless you"
Was "Willie God bless you, God bless you, goodbye"

The train left the shed at about eleven-thirty
The chains they did rattle, the handcuffs were tight
When Sonny Gibson took the throttle
The engine one-thirty was soon out of sight

In the scorching hot sun I've been toiling
Just working and worrying my poor life away
You can measure my grave on the banks of old Cumberland
After I've finished the rest of my days

No matter what happens to me in Roane County
No matter how long my sentence may be
I'll love my old home way back in Roane County
It's way back down in old East Tennessee

Sweet Martha was grave but Corey was better
There's better and worse, although you can see
Boys, when you write home from the prison in Nashville
Place one of my songs in your letter for me.

---

These lyrics, which have a number of variants, are widely attributed to Willis Maberry and have been performed by the Stanley Brothers and the Blue Sky Boys, among others.

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Grandpa Jones has a fine voice, excellent delivery. But I dislike the sing-songy quality. Ralph Stanley's version, in particular, subsumes what I call the "sine wave" sound.

See this link for a historical account of the song by Willis Maberry, convicted of killing his brother in law.

Hi J

High on the mountain, tell me what you see
Bear tracks, bear tracks looking back at me
Better get your rifle, boy, before it's too late
'Cause a bear's got a little pig and headed thru the gate

He's big around the middle and he's broad across the rump
Running ninety miles an hour, taking thirty feet a jump
Ain't never been caught, he ain't never been treed
Some folks say he look a lot like me

I saved up my mon' and I bought me some bees
And they started making honey way up in the trees
Cut down the tree, but my honey's all gone
Ole Slew-Foot's done made himself at home

He's big around the middle and he's broad across the rump
Running ninety miles an hour, taking thirty feet a jump
Ain't never been caught, he ain't never been treed
Some folks say he look a lot like me

Winter's coming on and it's twenty below
And the river's froze over, so where can he go?
We'll chase him up the gulley then we'll run him in the well
And shoot him in the bottom just to listen to him yell

He's big around the middle and he's broad across the rump
Running ninety miles an hour, taking thirty feet a jump
Ain't never been caught, he ain't never been treed
Some folks say he look a lot like me

Lost Highway. Hank Williams

I'm a rollin' stone, all alone and lost
For a life of sin, I have paid the cost
When I pass by, all the people say
There goes another boy, down the lost highway

Just a deck of cards, and a jug of wine
And a woman's lies makes a life like mine
For the day we met, I went astray
I started rolling down that lost highway

BREAK
I was just a lad, nearly 22
Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you
And now I'm lost, too late to pray
Lord, I take a cost, on the lost highway

Now boys don't start your ramblin' round
On this road of sin, or you're sorrow-bound
Take my advice or you'll curse the day
You started rollin' down that lost highway

The Boys of Barr na Sraide. Danu

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County Kerry's Cahersiveen, on the Iveragh Peninsula, rises from the River Ferta up the slopes of Beenatee, a hill about the height of New York's Empire State Building. The hill overlooks the Atlantic from a distance of about 10 miles.

---

[Danu's slightly modified lyrics, as slightly edited by YT.]

Oh the town it climbs the mountain and looks down on the sea,
In sleeping time or waking ‘tis there I long to be,
To walk again those kindly streets, the place my life began,
And the boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren.

With cudgels stout we roamed about to hunt the droleen [dreoilín].
We searched for birds in every furze from Litir [Letter] to Dooneen.
We danced for joy beneath the sky; life held no print or plan
For the boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren.

And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles they were aflame
To the rebel homes of Kerry the Saxon stranger came
But the ones who fought the Auxies and who beat the Black and Tan
Were the boys in Barr na Sráide who hunted for the wren.

BRIDGE
So here’s a health to them tonight, those lads who laughed with me
By the groves of Caragh [Cara] River or the slopes of Beenatee
John Dawley and Batt Andy and the Sheehans Con and Dan
Were the boys of Barr na Sráide who hunted for the wren.

But now they toil on foreign soil and they have gone their way
Deep in the heart of London or over in Broadway
When [And] I am left to sing their deeds and to praise them while I can,
to the boys [those boys] of Barr na Sráide who hunted for the wren

And when the wheel of life runs down and peace comes over me
Oh lay me down in that old town between the hills and sea
I’ll take my sleep in those green fields the place my life began
And the boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren.

OUTRO

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"Barr na Sráide" (Top Street or High Street) runs horizontally along Beenatee's slope through Cahersiveen, after which the route's name changes to "Old Road." The song pictures an ideal path for fun-loving boys. The song by the poet Sigerson Clifford relates the local St. Stephen's Day tradition of hunting wrens (dreoilíns) to the Irish War of Independence. The boys in the poem refer to an extended group of rural youths living in Kerry and Limerick counties, who a few years later fought to drive the British from Ireland.

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Correct Lyrics of "The Boys of Barr na Sráide"
by Sigerson Clifford

Oh the town it climbs the mountain and looks out upon the sea
And sleeping time or waking, ‘tis there I long to be
To walk again that kindly street, the place where life began
And the Boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the Wran.

With cudgels stout we roamed about to hunt the Droilín
We searched for birds in every furze from Letter to Dooneen
We sang for joy beneath the sky, life held no print or plan
And we Boys of Barr na Sráide, a-hunting for the Wran.

And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles were aflame
To the Rebel homes of Kerry, the Saxon stranger came
But the men who dared the Auxies and who beat the Black and Tan
Were the Boys of Barr na Sráide, a-hunting for the Wran.

And here’s a toast to them tonight, the lads who laughed with me
By the Groves of Carhan River or the slopes of Beenatee
John Dawley and Batt Andy, and the Sheehans Con and Dan
And the Boys of Barr na Sráide who hunted for the Wran.

And now they toil on foreign soil, where they have gone their way
Deep in the heart of London town or over in Broadway
And I am left to sing their deeds and praise them while I can
Those Boys of Barr na Sráide who hunted for the Wran.

And when the wheel of life runs down and peace comes over me
O lay me down in that old town between the hills and sea
I’ll take my sleep in those green fields the place my life began
Where the Boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the Wran.

---

Local dialect evidently renders Caragh as Caran.

Rockin' pneumonia. Johnny Rivers

LONG INSTRUMENTAL INTRO
I wanna jump but I'm afraid I'll fall
I wanna holler but the joint's too small
Young man rhythm got a hold of me too
I got the rockin' pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu

Want some lovin' babe and that ain't all
I wanna kiss her but she's way too tall
Young man rhythm got a hold of me too
I got the rockin' pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu

Wanna squeeze her but I'm way too low
I would be runnin' but my feets too slow
Young man rhythm got a hold of me too
I got the rockin' pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu


LONGISH BREAK
I wanna squeeze her but I'm way too low
I would be runnin' but my feets too slow
Young man rhythm got a hold of me too
I got the rockin' pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu

Baby comin' now I'm hurryin' home
I know she leavin' cause I'm takin' too long
Young man rhythm got a hold of me too
I got the rockin' pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu

OUTRO
Nice instrumental run with fadeout

Sunshine Superman

INTRO

Sunshine came softly through my a-window today
Could've tripped out easy a-but I've a-changed my ways
It'll take time, I know it but in a while
You're gonna be mine, I know it, we'll do it in style

'Cause I've made my mind up you're going to be mine

I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, all that I can find
Everybody's hustlin' just to have a little scene
When I say we'll be cool I think that you know what I mean
We stood on a beach at sunset, do you remember when

I know a beach where, baby, a-it never ends
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine

[Optional:] Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm

I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind

'Cause I've made my mind up you're going to be mine

I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, that I can find

BREAK

Superman or Green Lantern ain't got a-nothin' on me
I can make like a turtle and dive for your pearls in the sea, yeah
A you-you-you can just sit there a-thinking on your velvet throne
'Bout all the rainbows a-you can a-have for your own

When you've made your mind up forever to be mine

Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm

I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine
I'll pick up your hand
I'll pick up your hand

Carters. Where Moses Stood

Crying Holy unto the Lord
Crying Holy unto the Lord
Oh in that day when the bells don't toll
Crying Holy unto the Lord

Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]
Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]

Oh, if I could, I surely would
Stand on the rock
(Praise God)
where Moses stood

BREAK

Sinners, run unto the Lord
Sinners, run unto the Lord
Now please don't let this harvest pass
And lose your soul at last

Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]
Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]

Oh, if I could, I surely would
Stand on the rock
(Praise God)
where Moses stood

SHORT BREAK

Crying Holy unto the Lord
Crying Holy unto the Lord
The four and twenty elders bowing all around the altar
Crying Holy unto the Lord

Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]
Crying Holy unto the Lord
           [Holy unto the Lord]
           [Holy unto the Lord]

Oh, if I could, I surely would
Stand on the rock
(Praise God)
where Moses stood

OUTRO

Oh, if I could, I surely would
Stand on the rock
(Praise God)
where Moses stood

My Girl

I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May (ooh)
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?

My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl
I've got so much honey, the bees envy me
I've got a sweeter song, than the birds in the trees

Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl
Ooh, ooh

Hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey
Ooh, ooh, yeah
I don't need no money (ooh), fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches, baby (ooh) one man can claim

Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl
(Talkin' 'bout my girl)

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
(whoa, whoa) with my girl
I've even got the month of May, with my girl
(talkin' 'bout my girl)
Talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout my girl (ooh)
Ooh, my girl (talkin' 'bout my girl)
That's all I can talk about is my girl (ooh)
Why don't you believe she's all my girl?
(Talkin' 'bout my girl)