Once Upon A Time - Lyrics


Thanks to Alexandra Chambers for sending these lyrics.

TAKE A LITTLE TIME

Well I wanted to ramble ever since I was a kid
I'm gonna do just what my Daddy did
The world started closin' in on me
And I had to have a change of scenery

So I started out bumin' in Ohio,
Had my sights set on Mexico
It just ain't as easy to catch a ride
As it was before the L&N died

Gotta take a little time, think about where I'm goin'
Take a little time, to think about where I've been
Take a little time, to hear that whistle blowin'
Take a little time, be back home again

Well I spent a year in Memphis, just the other day
Haven't been the same since I let her slip away
When will I learn to let the women be
Let Ol'Memphis Red make a fool a-me

Well I went to the river to throw myself in,
Decided to call it off 'cause I can't swim
started to throw myself before a locomotive train
Had to call it off on account a-rain

Gotta take a little time, think about where I'm goin'
Take a little time, to think about where I've been
Take a little time, to hear that whistle blowin'
Take a little time, be back home again

Well now what's the use in killin' me
it didn't hurt so bad now don't you see
The world ain't so bad after all>
That Ol'Memphis Red ain't gonna be my downfall

I gotta take a little time, think about where I'm goin'
Take a little time, to think about where I've been
Take a little time, to hear that whistle blowin'
Take a little time, be back home again

Take a little time, be back home again

(Written by T.M. Coleman/Marty Stuart)

DIM LIGHTS, THICK SMOKE

Lester: I'll tell you what lets do. Lets do one of the real old ones here. Marty, Marty Stuart, if you will. Some of the neighbours wanted to here one, that, we recorded way back in the middle, fifties I guess it was. And of course we're always happy to try to do the numbers that you do ask for, and it's one entitled DIM LIGHTS, THICK SMOKE AND LOUD, LOUD MUSIC.

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
It's the only kind of life, you'll ever understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You'll never make a wife to a home lovin' man

A home with little children, means nothin' to you
A house filled with love and a husband so true
You'd rather have a drink, with the first guy you meet
And the only home you know is the club down the street

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
It's the only kind of life, you'll ever understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You'll never make a wife to a home lovin' man

A-drinkin' and a-dancin', to a Honky-Tonk band
Is the only kind of life, you will ever understand
Go on and have your fun, you think you played it smart
But I'm sorry for you, in your Honky-Tonk heart

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
It's the only kind of life, you'll ever understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You'll never make a wife to a home lovin' man

(Written by J. Maphis/R. Lee)


ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
with Clarence "Tater" Tate

Tater: Tell 'em Marty, you got a word for it

Marty: Right here, oh, ooh, oh, look yonder comin',

Tater: Where, where you comin' from

Marty: Right over there boys, comin' down the railroad track
I said look-a-yonder comin', comin' down the railroad track

It's the Orange Blossom Special, bringin' my baby back
I'm goin' down to Florida, gonna get some sand in my shoes
Or maybe California, gotta lose there New York blues
Ride the Orange Blossom Special, now, lose these New York blues

Marty: One more time. This song is about a train, ya know, the Old Orange Blossom Special that used to run from Florida, up the East Coast. And around the East Coast in Virginia, Tater had a little hound dog one time that played a little bit too close to the train track. And his luck ran out and the train got the hound dog by the tail. Cut his tail off. So Tater, tell 'em a little bit more about your hound dog. A-show 'em how he went, alright.

Tater: Well like you said Marty, he just got to playin' around a little bit to close to the railroad tracks. Cut about three inches of his tail off. Boy it did hurt. Though I don't know how it would feel, but I'm sure it would hurt. He squalled out somethin' like this, he was just a little hound dog right ... really hurt him bad, he turned around about three flips and took off up towards the house, up through the field there, every step he was takin' he was a yakin' somethin' like this right here ....

(Written by E. T. Rouse)


MOTHER MAYBELLE
with Johnny Cash


Marty: Many things have been said, I've heard and I've read
About Maybelle, Mother Maybelle
A sweet Virginia kind of girl, who's known all around this world
They all know Maybelle, Mother Maybelle
She took pride as a mother and a wife
And she lives on the sunny side of life

Johnny: I could sit and listen by the hour
Marty & Johnny: When Maybelle plays the Wildwood Flower
Johnny: As the Carter's began to sing, she would make her guitar ring
The sound of Maybelle
Marty & Johnny: Mother Maybelle
Johnny: Along with Sara and A.P., they sang sweet harmony
To the sounds of Maybelle
Marty & Johnny: Mother Maybelle

Johnny: She took pride as a mother and a wife
Now she
Marty & Johnny: Lives on the sunnyside of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten up our way
If we keep on the sunnyside of life

Johnny: Many years have come and gone, but her music lingers on
The sounds of Maybelle
Marty & Johnny: Mother Maybelle
Johnny: The sounds of Maybelle
Marty & Johnny: Mother Maybelle

(Written by J. Maphis/R. Maphis)


THE BLUEBIRDS ARE SINGING FOR ME
with Lester Flatt

Lester: Here's a little number right here now that ah Marny and me'd like to try to do for ya. It's one that, ah, Mac Wiseman and myself recorded a few years ago and it's out of print right now and, a lotta folks still, askin' for this one, and, and ah, you be Mac.

Marty: Oh, I'd, ah I'd be delighted
Lester: I'd be delighted!
Marty: I'd be delighted!
Lester: You're about the size of Mac now.
Marty: That's the truth
Lester: It's called THE BLUEBIRDS SING FOR ME

Marty & Lester: There's a bluebird singin', there's a bluebird singin'
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, callin' me, back to my home
Oh I can hear, I can hear, bluebirds callin', bluebirds callin',
Callin' me, back to my home

Raymond: My time to sing one
Marty: Your turn Raymond, do it

Raymond: There was a girl, I loved so dearly
She lived a way, back in the hills
When the bluebirds sing, I miss my darlin'
She loved me I know, and she always will

Marty & Lester: There's a bluebird singin', there's a bluebird singin'
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, callin' me, back to my home
Oh I can hear, I can hear, bluebirds callin', bluebirds callin'
Callin' me, back to my home

Lester: Sing me one Mac

Marty: When I reach my home, I was oh, so lonely
The one I loved, had gone away
The sad, sad news, came from her mother
She's restin' there beneath the clay, quick

Marty & Lester: There's a bluebird singin', there's a bluebird singin'
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, callin' me, back to my home
Oh I can hear, I can hear, bluebirds callin', bluebirds callin'
Callin' me, back to my home

Marty & Lester: There's a bluebird singin', there's a bluebird singin'
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, callin' me, back to my home
Oh I can hear, I can hear, bluebirds callin', bluebirds callin'
Callin' me, back to my home

(Written by L. Flatt)


TIL THE END OF THE WORLD ROLLS 'ROUND

Lester: Alright you wanna sing TIL THE END OF THE WORLD ROLLS AROUND. Let's do it.

'Til the end of the world rolls 'round, I'll keep on lovin' you
As long as the sun comes up and comes down
'Til the big blue sky comes down to the ground
As long as the world goes 'round and 'round
I'll keep on lovin' you

I tried to sail the sea of life, I rowed my boat along
Your love to me meant nothin' dear, my heart was made of stone
To a harbour filled with loneliness, my little boat was moored
And then the day I first meet you, I fell right overboard

'Til the end of the world rolls 'round, I'll keep on lovin' you
As long as the sun comes up and comes down
'Til the big blue sky comes down to the ground
As long as the world goes 'round and 'round
I'll keep on lovin' you

Whenever you're around me dear, my heart just won't be still
And when it comes to kissin' you I'll never get my fill
They said I'd never settle down, that I would always roam
That I could never be the type, for a lovin' wife at home

'Til the end of the world rolls 'round, I'll keep on lovin' you
As long as the sun comes up and comes down
'Til the big blue sky comes down to the ground
As long as the world goes 'round and 'round
I'll keep on lovin' you

'Til the end of the world rolls 'round, I'll keep on lovin' you
As long as the sun comes up and comes down
'Til the big blue sky comes down to the ground
As long as the world goes 'round and 'round
I'll keep on lovin' you

(Written by L. Flatt)


ROANOKE

Mandolin Instrumental

(Written by J. Ahr)


CANNONBALL BLUES

Guitar Instrumental

(Written by M. Christian)


I DON'T LOVE NOBODY

Guitar Instrumental

(Written by L. Flatt)


THE SUN'S COMING UP

Once again, I face Satan this morning
And I battle him, all the day long
But in my weakness, God sent reinforcements
And at sundown, I'll sing Victory's song

And the sun's comin' up, in the morning
Every tear will be gone from my eye
This old place is gonna give way to Glory
And like an eagle, I'll take to the sky

In a world, filled with doubts and confusion
It's so hard, when you don't understand
But I'll stand, on a solid foundation
And I'll hold, to an unchanging hand

And the sun's comin' up, in the morning
Every tear will be gone from my eye
This old place is gonna give way to Glory
And like an eagle, I'll take to the sky

And the sun's comin' up, in the morning

(Written by D. Gaskin)


WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR SOUL
With Curly Seckler

Brother how far, from the saviour today
Risking your soul, for the things that he gave
Oh if today, God should call you away
What would you give, in exchange for your soul

What would you give, in exchange, what would you give, in exhange
What would you give, in exhange for your soul
Oh if today, God should call you away
What would you give, in exchange for your soul

Mercy is callin,' you won't you give in
Must the dear saviour, still tenderly plead
This night your soul, it is precious indeed
What would you give, in exchange for your soul

What would you give, in exchange, what would you give, in exhange
What would you give, in exhange for your soul
Oh if today, God should call you away
What would you give, in exchange for your, soul

(Written by M. Christian)


BLUEGRASS SHUFFLE

Guitar Instrumental

(Written by M. Christian)


BLACK MOUNTAIN RAG

Guitar Instrumental

(Written by T. Magness)


SOMEBODY LOVES YOU DARLIN'
With Curly Seckler

All: Somebody loves you Darlin', somebody loves you I know
Somebody loves you dearly, why can't you let them go

Curly: I see the postman comin', he's comin' down the street
And I know he's got a letter, 'cause he's headin' straight for me

All: Somebody loves you Darlin', somebody loves you I know
Somebody loves you dearly, why can't you let them go

Marty: There's going to be a wedding, it's gonna be in the fall
So boys and girls get ready, I'm gonna invite you all

All: Somebody loves you Darlin', somebody loves you I know
Somebody loves you dearly, why can't you let them go
Why can't you let them go

(Written by W. Morris/Z. Morris)


SUGAR LEE

Well I've got a gal down in Tuscaloosa
Sugar Lee is her name
Ain't good lookin' and she's mean as thunder
But I love her just the same
I love her just the same, boys, I love her just the same

She likes to rock, and she likes to roll
And sometimes she gets out of hand
But every night when I come home
She knows I'm her lovin' man
Still her lovin' man, boys, still her lovin' man

Well I told her Mama, and I told her Daddy
There ain't nothin' you can say
Sugar Lee is gonna be this poor boy's prize someday
One these days boys, one of these days

Well you can have all your sweet Susanna's
And your big time bar room Queens
Ain't never been a woman, boys, like my Sugar Lee
Like my Sugar Lee, boys, like my Sugar Lee

Well I've got a gal down in Tuscaloosa
Sugar Lee is her name
Ain't good lookin' and she's mean as thunder
But I love her just the same
I love her just the same, boys, I love her just the same

I love her just the same, boys, I love her just the same

(Written by B. Holmes)


TWO IN THE MORNING

Mandolin Instrumental

(Written by M. Christian)


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