Trad. belongs to a family of musicians who have been active for a very long time. Although the lines of descendancy are not entirely clear, Trad. appears to be related to the famous Anonymous family from the European Middle Ages.
Intro (same accompanying pattern in all the verses):
D
Mary wore three lengths of chain,
A D
Ev'ry length was Jesus name,
G A D [fill]
Keep-a your hand on that plow, hold on,
A D [fill]
Oh, Lord, Oh, Lord,
G A D [fill]
Keep-a your hand on that plow, hold on.
Matthew,*) Mark and Luke and John,
All them prophets so good and gone,
Keep-a your hand on that plow, hold on,
Oh, Lord, Oh, Lord,[Intro] . . : . . . : . . . : . . . -------------|-----0-----------0-------|-------------------------|-----0-------------0-----| -------------|-----0-----------0-------|-------------------------|-----0-----------0-0-----| -------------|-----------2/3-----2\1---|-------------------------|-----------2/3---3-----1-|
/c /b D/a
G C
I am a man of constant sorrow
/b D G /c-b D/a
I've seen trouble all my days
G C
I'll say goodbye to Colorado
D G
Where I was born and partly raised.
Your mother says I'm a stranger
My face you'll never see no more
But there's one promise, darling:
I'll see you on God's golden shore.
Through this open world I'm about to ramble
Through ice and snow, sleet and rain
I'm about to ride that morning railroad(Laws F5)
Recorded by The Blue Sky Boys (Earl and Bill Bolick) Charlotte, Jun 16, 1936 and released on the posthumous Vol. 4 of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Music
A rather slow version, relishing in the sweet clashes resulting from the “hang” of the melody line (see pdf file).
Oh, where is little Maggie Over yonder she stands, Rifle on her shoulder, Six-shooter in her hand. How can I ever stand it, Just to see them two blue eyes, Shinin' like some diamonds, Like some diamonds in the sky. Rather be in some lonely hollow Where the sun don't ever shine, Than to see you be another man's darling, And to know that you'll never be mine. Well, it's march me away to the station With my suitcase in my hand, Yes, march me away to the station, I'm off to some far-distant land. Sometimes I have a nickel, And sometimes I have a dime,
Intro:
[...] But he's young and he's daily growin'
G D G C G C/g G
Daughter, dearest daughter, I have done you no wrong
Em G D
I've wed you to non other than a wealthy man's son
G C G Em C G C/g G
And he will be a man to you when I am dead and goneEvery time I go to town the boys keep kicking my dog around Don't know why I'm going to town I don't know why they kick my dog around
let me hear you now:
(dog, dog, dog dog, dog, dog dog, dog, dog why, why, why why, why, why why, why, why why, why, why)
Every time I go to town the boys keep kicking my dog around I don't know why I'm going to town I don't know why they kick my dog around
(dog, dog, dog) yes, yes, yes (why, why, why) oh-ho
[Intro: first two lines of the verse]
