Cat. #0325 (MFH #367) - As sung by Mr. Fred High, High, Arkansas on February 11, 1959
VERSE 1
As I went down to Louisville
Some pleasure for to find
There come a girl from Lexing Town
So pleading to my mind
Her hair was laid in diamonds
An' a star upon 'er breast
They called 'er handsome Mary
Th lily of th west
VERSE 2
She had rings on evri finger
That come from a distant shores
Ten thousand hundred dollars
Laid up for her in store
Is enough to entice th king of Frese
How costli, she did dress
An' they called her handsome Mary
The lily of th west
VERSE 3
I courted her for a long time
Her love I expect to gain
Until she turned her back on 't me
An' I to her th same
But I never shall forget that day
Th clod lie on my breast
An' I talked to my sweet Mary
Th lily of th west
VERSE 4
One day when I was walking
Down by th shady grove
There come a man from Lexing Town
Come a dashing with my love
He sung a song most lodious
Hit did my soul dapress
And he called 'er his sweet Mary
The lily of th west
VERSE 5
My rifle on my shoulder
My dagger in my hand
I caught 'im by th collo
I boldli bid 'im stand
Me bein' mad an' desperaded
I quickli pierced his breast
For talking to my Mary
Th lily of th west
VERSE 6
They took me to th justice
He only but made my plea
Th jury found me inocent
An' th judge, he set me free
An' they did not say more less
Begone you scornflish Mary
Th lily of th west
VERSE 7
There was one man among them
That was so honorable mean
He had me bound down in iron an' chains
An' brought me back again
They put me in th guard house
My life to exploe
There's five at everi window, boys
An' six at everi door
VERSE 8
I went around in th guard house
I sprayed in round an' round
I jumped out at one window
An' knocked five of then down
Th footmans an' th horsemans
They quickli followed me
But I wheeled ole Jack four times around
An' gained my liberty
VERSE 9
I've traveled through th western
I've traveled Ameriky through
An' a many a pretty cottage girl
Has come into my view
But I never shall forget that day
Th clod lie on my breast
An' I talked to my sweet Mary
The lily of th west