Well, they say that I'm too country, the way I look and sound. They wanna to make me over, just a little more uptown. Say I need to change my image, now tell me what's that mean. Don't they know I've got country in my genes?
Well, I can't help the way I talk, I wouldn't change it if I could. Sophisticated ain't my style, but country fits me good. I ain't ashamed to wear what's been handed down to me. Lord, I've got country in my genes.
I've got country in my genes, country in my blood. It goes back generations. It's something I'm proud of. It's something I was born with, what you get is what you see. I'm just an old hillybilly with a country song to sing. Lord, I've got country in my genes.
Oh that Earl Scruggs.
If country's hit the big time, me, I'm still the same. I ain't above my raisin' and I ain't about to change. I wouldn't trade my Wranglers for the finest gaberdine. Lord, I've got country in my genes.
I've got country in my genes, country in my blood. It goes back generations. It's something I'm proud of. It's something I was born with, what you get is what you see. I'm just an old hillybilly with a country song to sing. Lord, I've got country in my genes.
I've got country in my genes, country in my blood. It goes back generations. It's something I'm proud of. It's something I was born with, what you get is what you see. I'm an old Kentucky hillybilly with a country song to sing. Lord, I've got country in my genes.
I don't want your lonely mansion with a tear in every room All I want's the love you promised beneath the hallow moon But you think I should be happy with your money and your name And hide myself in sorrow while you play your cheating game.
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare never drown my sorrow's in the warm glow of your wine You can't buy my love with money for I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine.
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare not drown my sorrow's in the warm glow of your wine You can't buy my love with money for I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine.
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine...
(Oh mama why did God take my daddy?) ('Cause I'd been good just like he said to be) (I heard daddy pray, dear Lord don't take me from them) (Oh mama, why did God take him from me?)
Come here son, you've asked mama somethin' That's even hard for me to understand For there's one thing I do know Daddy wouldn't wanna see those tears in the eyes of this big man.
So stop cryin' now and listen real careful To every word mama has to say, you see son God picks the sweetest most beautiful flowers that grow And he makes them the brightest shiniest stars that glow.
Now daddy talked with the Lord every day And daddy and God'll be real close So let's just say it seems that God takes The ones he loves the most.
(Oh mama, why did God take my daddy?) Son you haven't heard a word that mama said So come on now let's say your prayers And mama tuck you in bed.
And we must have questioned God 'Cause he already has everything planned And honey daddy can't ever come back to us Though we can go to him.
One of my fondest memories Was sittin' on my daddy's knee Listenin' to the stories that he told He'd pull out that old photograph Like a treasured memory from the past And say, "Child this, here's the Van Lear rose"
Oh how it would bring a smile When he talked about her big blue eyes And how her beauty ran down to her soul She'd walk across the coal miner's yard Them miner's would yell loud and hard And they'd dream of who would hold The Van Lear rose
She was the belle of Johnson county Ohio river to big sandy A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal All the miner's they would gather 'round Talk about the man that came to town Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose
Now the Van Lear rose could've had her pick And all the fellers figured rich Until' this poor boy caught her eye His buddies would all laugh and say Your dreaming boy, she'll never look your way You'll never ever hold the Van Lear rose
She was the belle of Johnson county Ohio river to big sandy A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal All the miner's they would gather 'round Talk about the man that came to town Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose
Then one night in mid July Underneath that ol' blue Kentucky sky Well, that poor boy won that beauty's heart Then my daddy would look at my mommy and smile As he brushed the hair back from my eyes and he'd say Your mama, she's the Van Lear rose
She was the belle of Johnson county Ohio river to big sandy A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal All the miner's they would gather 'round Talk about the man that came to town Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose
I can't understand a word you're saying We've got a bad connection on our minds Communication's one thing we never seem to find Oh Lord I'm sorry, but there's trouble on the line
All I get is static when we're talking You say my line is out of order all the time We have nothing left in common Your thoughts are not like mine Oh Lord I'm sorry but there's trouble on the line There's trouble on the line, from your heart to mine Oh Lord I'm sorry but we're not getting through
The storm keeps getting worse Lord, we might as well quit trying Oh Lord I'm sorry, but there's trouble in the line Oh Lord I'm sorry, but there's trouble on the line
The storm keeps getting' worse Lord, we might as well quit trying' Oh Lord I'm sorry, but there's trouble in the line Oh Lord I'm sorry, but there's trouble on the line
Woman, you don't know me, but you can bet that I know you Everybody in this whole darn town knows you too I brought along our little babies 'cause I wanted them to see The woman that's burnin' down our family tree
No, I didn't come to fight, he was a better man I might But I wouldn't dirty my hands on trash like you, no Bring out the babies' daddy, that's who they've come to see Not the woman that's burnin' down our family tree
Their daddy once was a good man, until he ran into trash like you Take a look, baby's face and tell me who loves who I brought along his old dog Charlie and the bills that's overdue The job you're workin', Lord, we need money, too
No, I didn't come to fight, he was a better man I might But I wouldn't dirty my hands on trash like you, no Bring out the babies' daddy, that's who they've come to see Not the woman that's burnin' down our family tree No, not the woman that's burnin' down our family tree
Have mercy on me, baby I'm down upon my knees Have mercy on me, baby I'll do just as you please Well, you know that I love you I'll put no one else above you Have mercy on me, baby, have mercy
Have mercy on me, baby Please have a little heart Have mercy on me, baby You're tearin' me apart The way that you do me You know you done got to me Have mercy on me, baby, have mercy
She's got you hypnotized And your brain is paralyzed You know she's only playing with you Like a puppet on a string Remember just one thing She can't love you like I do, no
Have mercy on me, baby Please give this heart a break Have mercy on me, baby I'll do just what it takes You know you won't regret it So hey there now I said it Have mercy on me, baby, have mercy
Have mercy Have mercy on me Have mercy on me, baby Have mercy on me Have mercy on me, baby Please have mercy on me Have mercy
High on a mountain top We live, we love and we laugh a lot Folks up here know what they got High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Where the rest of the world's Like a little bitty spot I ain't comin' down, no, never I'm not High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Where I come from the mountain flowers grow wild The blue grass sways like it's goin' out of style God fearin' people simple and real 'Cause up on the ridge, folks that's the deal
Well, my daddy worked down in the dark coal mine Shovelin' that coal one shovel at a time Never made a lot money didn't have much But we're high on life and rich in love
High on a mountain top We live, we love and we laugh a lot Folks up here know what they got High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Where the rest of the world's Like a little bitty spot I ain't comin' down, no, never I'm not High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Well, down in the holler lived my uncle Joe He'd pull out his fiddle and rosin' his bow We'd all sing and dance and we ain't gonna stop And the moon shine flows behind every rock
High on a mountain top We live, we love and we laugh a lot Folks up here know what they got High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Where the rest of the world's Like a little bitty spot I ain't comin' down, no, never I'm not High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Well, we lay on our backs and we count the stars 'Cause up here folks Heaven's not that far
High on a mountain top We live, we love and we laugh a lot Folks up here know what they got High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
Where the rest of the world's Like a little bitty spot I ain't comin' down, no, never I'm not High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
High on a mountain top High on a mountain top High on a mountain top High on a mountain top High on a mountain top High on a mountain top
I was 11 months old, I was just startin' to walk And daddy always kept, a big stick behind the door Just in case somebody was to come in That was drunk on moonshine
You know and daddy had to do something about it Anyway, this woman, we called her old Aunt Boyd She come in and she was telling mommy about her Uh, husband, she thinks is going out with this woman in Paintsville
So she reared back with that big stick Showing mommy how she was going To hit this woman in the head with it And when she went back with it, she hit me in the head
And Mommy said, I cried for 5 days And she said I, that fifth night I had a great big knot that show up Right in the middle of my forehead
And, you know, the only thing I remember I don't remember no pain, but I just remember mommy And daddy carrying me in this old quilt That Mommy had made out of overhalls
The knots kept getting bigger and bigger And she took me to the doctor And that stuff called mesitor, something like that Mommy said it made both ears Flat to my face and I ain't got very big ears
And them, told Mommy That I would that I was going to die And that happened like four times So I didn't walk till I was almost 5 It was, it was kind of a mess
Oh, I forgot about the shoes Well, shoot, I hadn't, I'd never had a pair of shoes And Mommy had went, took me to the hospital You know, to see what that was
If they couldn't do something, but they wouldn't keep me Because Mommy and Daddy didn't have no money They just tell 'em to take me home and let me die, you know Because there wasn't nothing they could do about That kind of disease, I guess
And, um, mommy told daddy, says, "Ted, you take her Down the street, you carry her down the street" And said, "Let me try this store here" And Mommy went in and told them the story that I was dying
That she had to carry me twelve miles to town And twelve miles back and that I had no shoes That place, I think it was Murphy's 5 and 10 And they're still there in Paintsville, Kentucky
And I think that they told Mommy That they wasn't in business to give shoes away Mommy told daddy, says, "Carry Loretta on down a little farther" Said, "And let me stop in another store"
And Mommy went right back to the same store When the guy's back was turned she stole these little red shoes And I remember on the big'old bridge that went across the river It went way up high and was
I've always been scared of that bridge That took me across the big Sandy River Mommy pulled them out from under That yellow jacket that she was wearing
And she was putting them red shoes on me And I thought them was the prettiest things I ever saw in my life And daddy started crying and I wondered why And he said, "Clerie, we're not going to make it home"
And mommy put the shoes on me and daddy took off running And run all the way ahead t'Butcher Holler with me And Mommy never had a chance to carry me any farther And that's almost twelve miles that daddy run with me
But daddy knew that the cops was going to get us He left Mommy standing and he took off in a dead run I remember him running but I didn't know what for And I remember asking mommy, "Mommy, why is Daddy running?"
I remember her hollering, "To put your little red shoes away Honey, when you get home" Can you believe that? So I wrote a song called "Put My Little Red Shoes Away" You know, they're my little red shoes And I don't want 'em to get to be dirty
Oh if this old house could talk What a story it would tell It would tell about the good times And the bad times as well It would tell about the love that lived And died inside these walls And the sound of the little footsteps Runnin' up and down the halls
Oh, if this old house could talk It would break my heart in two I couldn't stand to be reminded Of all the things we used to do There's no love in this old house no more So I got it up for sale Why if this old house could talk What a story it would tell
Oh, if this old house could talk I know what it would say I'm as lonesome as you are And I fell more empty every day I even miss the baby Who built me up to feel this way Why if this old house could talk Lord, I know what it would say
Yeah, if this old house could talk What a story it would tell We'll build this home together And with love we drove each nail Take me in your arms and hold me 'Cause we've been apart too long Why if this old house could talk All it would say is welcome home
I've been in and out of every honky-tonk in town And I'm almost drunk from the drinks that I've turned down Well, you told me you'd be happy bouncin' babies on your knee While I sit at home alone and I've been bouncin' three Yeah, and I'm tired of it
I'm gonna call myself a long pink limousine Yeah, believe it or not it's the prettiest thing I think I've ever seen There's a big bar in the corner and a TV on the side This baby's 60 feet long and 40 feet wide
Hey, driver pull this car, buddy, right inside the bar Take it on back to the big ol' blonde that thinks she's a movie star I'm gonna grab 'er by her phony ponytail I'm gonna sling her 'round and round When she wakes up she'll know she met up With the mad Mrs. Leroy Brown
Well, the smoke's so doggone thick you could cut it with a knife And the music's so loud you can hear the same line twice Hey Leroy Brown, how do you like my big ol' pink limo? Just drawed all your money out of the bank today Honey, you don't have no mo'
I'm gonna call myself a long pink limousine Yeah, believe it or not it's the prettiest thing I think I've ever seen There's a big bar in the corner and a TV on the side This baby's 60 feet long and 40 feet wide
Hey, driver pull this car, buddy, right inside the bar Take it on back to the big ol' blonde that thinks she's a movie star I'm gonna grab 'er by her phony ponytail I'm gonna sling her around and around When she wakes up she'll know she met up With the mad Mrs. Leroy Brown
Well here's the story of my life Listen and I'll tell it twice Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Well I was borned in old Kentucky In them hills where folks are lucky And it's paradise to me
Well I got a feller right over the hill If he asks me to marry well I know I will He asked me to marry got kids of four And I'm tellin' you I don't want no more Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Doo got me a guitar I wrote me a song Moved to Nashville, it wasn't long 'Til I was on the Grand Ole Opry
We bought us a mansion on the hill Livin' big like we were big deals Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind (pause)I was pregnant again Oh gee, oh Lord, I swear The babies are comin' in pairs
Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Well some big shot from Hollywood Thought a movie 'bout my life would be good It was a big hit made a big splash What I wanna know is what happened to the cash Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Now me and Doo, married forty-eight years Six kids later a lot of laughter and tears I have to say that I've been blessed Not bad for this ol' Kentucky girl I guess Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Well here's the story of my life Listen and I'll tell it twice Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Oh well I'm tired and so weary but I must go along Till my Lord comes and calls me calls me away oh yes Oh well the morning's so bright and the lamb is the light And the night night is as black as the sea oh yes There will be peace peace in the valley for me some day There will be peace in the valley for me oh Lord I pray There'll be no sadness no sorrow no troubles I'll see There will be peace peace in the valley for me
Well the bear will be gentle and the wolf will be tame And the lion shall lay down down by the lamb oh yes And the beast from the wild will be lead by little child And I'll be changed changed from this creature that I am oh yes There will be peace
There's a land beyond the river that we call the sweet forever And we only reach that shore by fate you see Yes I want to see my Jesus shake his hand and hear him greet us When they ring those golden bells for you and me Don't you hear the bells a ringing can't you hear the angels singing This glory hallelujah jubilee In that far off sweet forever just beyond the shining river When they ring those golden bells for you and me
When our days have known the number when in death we'll sweetly slumber When the king commands the spirit to be free There'll be no more stormy weather we'll live peacefully together When they ring those golden bells for you and me Don't you hear the bells a ringing...
Oh Lord my God when I in all some wonder Considered all the worlds Thy hands have made I see the stars I hear the roaring thunder Thy art throughout the universe displayed Then sings my soul Thy save dear God to Thee How great Thou art how great Thou art Then sings my soul
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation To take me home what joy shall fill my heart Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim my God how great Thou art Then sings my soul
