A collection of mountain songs from
Christy, by Catherine Marshall




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"I've got a gal in the Sourwood Moun-tain
She's so good and kind,
She's broke the heart of many a poor fellow,
But she's never broke this-un of mine.

"I've got a gal in the Buffalo Hollow,
Hey-tank-toddle all the day,
Oh, she won't come and I won't follow,
And a hey-tank-toddle all the day."


* * * * * *


"Oh, as I went down to Derby Town
All on a summer's day,
It's there I saw the finest ram
That was ever fed on hay. . .

"Oh, the wool upon this ram's back
It drug to the ground,
And I hauled it to the market
And it weighed ten thousand pounds. . ."


* * * * * *


"O rise you up, ye sev'n breth-e-rens,
And bring your sister down;
It nev-er shall be said that a Stu-art's son
Had taken her out of town.
He mounted her on a milk-white steed,
He rode a dapple gray.
He swung a bu-gle horn about his neck
And so went blowing away. . . ."


* * * * * *


"Come o're the stream, Charlie,
Dear Charlie, brave Charlie,
Come o're the stream, Charlie,
And dine with McLean.
And though you be weary
We'll will make your heart cheery,
And welcome our Charlie,
And his royal train."


* * * * * *


"He has taken a beautiful bud
Out of our garden of love. . .
Full blooming flowers alone will not do,
Some must be young and ungrown. . ."


* * * * * *


"Hits the old ship of Zion, as she comes,
Hits the old ship of Zion, the old ship of Zion,
Hits the old ship of Zion, as she comes.
She'll be loaded with bright angels, when she comes,
She'll be loaded with bright angels. . ."


* * * * * *


"He is gone, our precious darling,
They have laid him in the tomb. . .

"We're sad and we're lone since you've gone away,
In our humble home we'll miss you each day;
But still we rejoice with glory unknown,
To know you await at heaven's bright throne."


* * * * * *


"As I went a-walking to breathe the pleasant air,
Rolly-trudum, trudum, trudum-rolly-day,
As I went out to breathe the pleasant air,
I saw a lady talkin' to her daughter fair,
Rolly-trudum, trudum, trudum-rolly-day. . .

"Oh, if you was to marry, who would be your man,
Rolly-trudum, trudum, trudum-rolly-day,
Oh, if you was to marry, who would be your man?
'I love a handsome farmer and his name is--Sam'
Rolly-trudum, trudum, trudum-rolly-day. . ."


* * * * * *


"O come you home, dear Johnny,
O come you home from sea,
Last night my daughter Polly
Was dreaming of thee. . ."


* * * * * *


"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."


* * * * * *


All excerpts taken from Christy, by Catherine Marshall.