Cat. #0825 (MFH #360) - As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on August 8, 1969
VERSE 1
Down by th shore of th sound'n sea
Was an umble home of Lila Lee
Was out on th deep an' far away
Sailed 'er love, was Nathan Gray
VERSE 2
She stood on th banks with trembl'in lips
She watched and wept for th sail'in ship
She watched an' sighed till it faded away
Unto th banks of a desolate gray
VERSE 3
Away, away, away he went
Saying, that I will not repent
For th sea an' th earth, shall give up her dead
Before I'll return with my troubles to end
VERSE 4
He had such scarey dreams at night
He dreamed and saw one awful sight
A coffin a drift'in on th sea
An' on it was th mane of Lila Lee
VERSE 5
What needs such things to bother my mind
How safe she walked on th shore behind
Could have been a misclouded faith
An' it's proper shroud in such a state
VERSE 6
Seven long years toss'in about
Well, th good ole ship started a homeward route
Now, said Nathan, with a childish glee
I'm bound for th home, of Lila Lee
VERSE 7
Th stone of th wall was all set of black
Th hinge on th door an' th roof was out
Owls an' th bats whistled by his years
With a toush'n a toush'n, not here, not here
VERSE 8
Over th meadow an' thru th field
Th spell of th clover, he did reel
Th pleasant churchyard lay'n in th way
All covered in flowers in th month of May
VERSE 9
Several graves or more he passed
Till a silent stop with an eye-o gaze
He fell to his knees with a holler'in mourn
Before 'im was th name on a marble stone
VERSE 10
He wiped away a single tear
But still th letters, they were there
He read them again and what did he see
Was sweetest remembrance of Lila Lee
VERSE 11
To late, to late, with my diamonds an' gold
Her love is ash, her heart is cold
In th pleasant churchyard he fell to his knees
To late, to late, to sow th seed