Cat. #0870 (MFH #659) - As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on August 27, 1969
VERSE 1
Back in th heart of th Tennysee hills
Back 'mong th pines, th rocks an' th rills
There stands my old homestead of long, long ago
Bring back sweet memory of th one I love so
VERSE 2
I courted a maiden so sweet an' ao fair
Heavenly eyes an' chesnut brown hair
She told me she loved me an' she would be mine
But I went away, leave'in her there behind
VERSE 3
I tell you th reason that I left 'er there
Roamed this ole world with its heartaches an' cares
I saw her one night in the arms of a man
Hugg'in an' kiss'in as true lovers can
VERSE 4
I went home my heart full of woe
Packed my belong'in, determined to go
For seven long years, this old world I did roam
Thoughts of my darl'in, my sweetheart, my home
VERSE 5
While dinning one day in a little country town
A stranger came in an' achance to sit down
While talk'in of love ones I happen to find
That his sister was that ole sweetheart of mine
VERSE 6
When he heard my story, to me he did say,
Th one that you loved has a long time been gone
She waited so long for th day you returned
Why you left she never did learn
VERSE 7
I was th man you saw that fatal night
Wrapped in th arms, of my sister so tight
She loved you so dearly but you broke 'er heart
Stranger than fire, ever more you must part