Down in the Valley

Down in the valley, valley so low,

Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Hear the wind blow, love, hear the wind blow,

Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

If you don't love me, love whom you please,

But throw your arms round me, give my heart ease.

Give my heart ease, dear, give my heart ease.

Throw your arms round me, give my heart ease.

Down in the valley, walking between,

Telling our story, here's what it sings:

Here's what it sings, dear, here's what it sings,

Telling our story, here's what it sings:

Roses of sunshine, vi'lets of dew,

Angels in heaven knows I love you,

Knows I love you, dear, knows I love you,

Angels in heaven knows I love you.

Build me a castle forty feet high,

So I can see her as she goes by,

As she goes by, dear, as she goes by,

So I can see her as she goes by.

Bird in a cage, love, bird in a cage,

Dying for freedom, ever a slave;

Ever a slave, dear, ever a slave,

Dying for freedom, ever a slave.

Write me a letter, send it by mail,

And back it in care of the Birmingham jail.

Birmingham jail, love, Birmingham jail,

And back it in care of the Birmingham jail.

Free at Last

Free at last, free at last

I thank God I'm free at last

Free at last, free at last,

I thank God I'm free at last,

O free at last.

'Way down yonder in the grave-yard walk,

I thank God I'm free at last,

Me and my Jesus goin' to meet and talk,

I thank God I'm free at last,

O free at last.

On-a my knees when the light pass'd by,

I thank God I'm free at last,

Tho't my soul would rise and fly,

I thank God I'm free at last,

O free at last.

Some of these mornings, bright and fair,

I thank God I'm free at last,

Goin' meet King Jesus in the air,

I thank God I'm free at last,

O free at last.

A Home on the Range

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,

Where the deer and the antelope play,

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

Home, home on the range

Where the deer and the antelope play

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free,

The breezes so balmy and light,

That I would not exchange my home on the range

For all of the cities so bright.

The red man was pressed from this part of the West,

He's likely no more to return

To the banks of Red River where seldom if ever

Their flickering camp-fires burn.

How often at night when the heavens are bright

With the light of the glittering stars,

Have I stood here amazed and asked as I gazed

If their glory exceeds that of ours.

Oh, I love these wild flowers in this dear land of ours,

The curlew I love to hear scream,

And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks

That graze on the mountain-tops green.

Oh, give me a land where the bright diamond sand

Flows leisurely down to the stream;

Where the graceful white swan goes gliding along

Like a maid in a heavenly dream.

Then I would not exchange my home on the range,

Where the deer and the antelope play;

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

I Know Moonrise

I know moonrise, I know starrise,

Lay dis body down.

I walk in de moonlight, I walk in de starlight,

To lay dis body down.

I walk in de graveyard, I walk through de graveyard,

To lay dis body down.

I'll lie in de grave and stretch out my arms,

To lay dis body down.

I go to de judgement in de evenin' of de day,

When I lay dis body down;

And my soul and your soul will meed in de day

When I lay dis body down.

Low Bridge, Everybody Down

I've got an old mule and her name is Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal,

She's a good old worker and a good old pal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

We've hauled some barges in our day,

Filled with lumber, coal and hay-

And every inch of the way I know

From Albany to Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down,

Low bridge! We're coming to a town!

You can always tell your neighbor, you can always tell your pal

If you've every navigated on the Erie Canal.

We'd better look around for a job, Old Gal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

You bet your life I wouldn't part with Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

Giddap there, Gal, we've passed that lock,

We'll make Rome 'fore six o'clock-

So one more trip and then we'll go

Right straight back to Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down;

Low bridge, I've got the finest mule in town.

Once a man named Mike McGintey tried to put over Sal,

Now he's way down at the bottom of the Erie Canal.

Oh! where would I be if I lost my pal?

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal,

Oh, I'd like to see a mule as good as Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

A friend of mine once got her sore,

Now he's got a broken jaw,

'Cause she let fly with her iron toe

And knocked him in to Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down;

Low bridge, I've got the finest mule in town.

If you're looking for trouble, better stay away,

She's the only fighting donkey on the Erie Canal.

I don't have to call when I want my Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal,

She trots from the stall like a good old gal

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

I eat my meals with Sal each day,

I eat beef and she eats hay,

She ain't so slow if you want to know,

She put the "Buff" in Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down;

Low bridge, I've got the finest mule in town.

Eats a bale of hay for dinner, and on top of that my Sal

Tries to drink up all the water in the Erie Canal.

You'll soon hear them sing all about my gal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal,

It's a darned fine ditty 'bout my darn fool Sal,

Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

Oh, any band will play it soon,

Darned fool words and darned fool tune;

You'll hear it sung everywhere you go,

From Mexico to Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down;

Low bridge, I've got the finest mule in town.

She's a perfect, perfect lady, and she blushes like a gal

If she hears you sing about her and the Erie Canal.

Oh My Darling Clementine

In a cabin, in a canyon,

An excavation for a mine;

Dwelt a miner, a Forty-niner,

And his daughter Clementine.

Oh my darling, oh my darling,

Oh my darling Clementine,

You are lost and gone forever,

Drefful sorry, Clementine.

She drove her ducklets, to the river,

Ev'ry morning just at nine;

She stubb'd her toe against a sliver,

And fell into the foaming brine.

I saw her lips above the water,

Blowing bubbles soft and fine;

Alas for me, I was no swimmer,

And so I lost my Clementine.

Shenandoah

Missouri, she's a mighty river.

Away, you rolling river.

The redskins' camp lies on its borders

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

The white man loved the Indian maiden,

Away, you rolling river.

With notions his canoe was laden.

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

"O, Shenandoah, I love your daughter,"

Away, you rolling river.

"I'll take her 'cross yon rolling water."

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

The chief disdained the trader's dollars;

Away, you rolling river.

"My daughter never you shall follow."

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

At last there came a Yankee skipper,

Away, you rolling river.

He winked his eye, and he tipped his flipper.

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

He sold the chief that fire-water,

Away, you rolling river.

And 'cross the river he stole his daughter.

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

"O, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,"

Away, you rolling river.

"Across that wide and rolling river."

Ah ha I'm bound away, 'cross the wide Missouri.

Simple Gifts

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight

'Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Red River Valley

From this valley they say you are going,

We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,

For they say you are taking the sunshine

That brightens our pathway awhile.

Come and sit by my side if you love me,

Do not hasten to bid me adieu,

But remember the Red River Valley

And the girl that has loved you so true.

For a long time I have been waiting

For those dear words you never would say,

But at last all my fond hopes have vanished,

For they say you are going away.

Won't you think of the valley you're leaving?

Oh how lonely, how sad it will be.

Oh think of the fond heart you're breaking,

And the grief you are causing me to see?

From this valley they say you are going;

When you go, may your darling go too?

Would you leave her behind unprotected

When she loves no other but you?

I have promised you, darling, that never

Will a word from my lips cause you pain;

And my life,-it will be yours forever

If you only will love me again.

Must the past with its joys be blighted

By the future of sorrow and pain,

And the vows that was spoken be slighted?

Don't you think you can love me again?

As you go to your home by the ocean,

May you never forget those sweet hours,

That we spent in Red River Valley,

And the love we exchanged 'mid the flowers.

There never could be such a longing

In the heart of a pure maiden's breast,

That dwells in the heart you are breaking

As I wait in my home in the West.

And the dark maiden's prayer for her lover

To the Spirit that rules over the world;

May his pathway be ever in sunshine,

Is the prayer of the Red River girl.