Empty Mansions
I took a walk the other night when everything was still
I walked beside the house you live in on the rollin’ hill
I stood outside the gate that swings for someone else but me
Though you live with her my darlin’, does she know you still love me
Chorus
Oh a mansion, without love
Is as bare as this cottage floor of mine
Empty mansions, filled with heartache
You’ll have a heartache for every tear of mine
In a dream I went to heaven, for you I looked around
Upon the wall of a cottage small, your name was all I found
Across the way a mansion, they say it was built for me
Now you didn’t share your mansion, so I can’t share with thee
Wedding Blues
I have waited to long to admit that I was wrong
Now another has taken my place
I have lost in the game, you’re no more to speak my name
And I’m never again to see your face
Oh the road of love is long, temptation set me wrong
Though I knew you’d be waiting for me
Now I’m paying for my sins, this is were my trifling ends
Wedding bells will never set me free
Chorus
Wedding bells have turned to wedding blues
We’ve both said our last goodbye
We have tried and we’ve tried but the flame of love has died
Wedding bells have to turned to wedding blues
There’s no use to pretend, for I know it is the end
Of a love that meant heaven to me
You were so sweet and fair, it’s too much for me to bare
To know your love was never meant for me
Wildflowers
The hills were alive with wildflowers and I was even wilder than they
For at least I could run, they just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place
Just a wild mountain rose needing freedom to grow
So, I ran fearing not where I’d go
When a flower grows wild it can always survive
Wildflowers don’t care where they grow
And the flowers I knew in the fields where we grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were common and close, I had no room for growth
I wanted so much to branch out
I uprooted myself from home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the road
When a flower grows wild, it can always survive
Wildflowers don’t care where they grow
I grew up fast and wild and I never felt right in a garden so different from me
I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone
So the garden, on day, set me free
Hitched a ride with the wind and since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we’d go
When a flower grows wild it can always survive
Wildflowers don’t care where they grow
Lonely Me
With each drop of the rain, comes reminders of the pain
I set here alone with the memories and shame
My thoughts drift back to the times of the past
And all the hope that love will last
Chorus
Lonely me, oh lonely me
Blue as can be, oh lonely me
I thought I knew what would be the best
but only time will tell the rest
The love we knew, was pure and true
We drifted apart, like so many do
I wish I had back all my time with you
So many things I wouldn’t do
The sun shines now, another day has past
I’m still alone depending on the glass
The world turns by as I sit and cry
And all that’s left is knowing why
The Lord Will Make a Way
Like a ship that’s tossed and driven, tattered by angry sea
When the storms of life start raging, and its fury falls on me
I look up and wonder why all good fortunes pass me by
And I say to myself, “be patient, the Lord will make a way somehow”
Chorus
The Lord will my a way somehow
When before the cross you bow
He will take away your sorrow
Let him have your burdens now
When my burdens are so heavy
Oh, beneath the cross I bow
And I say to myself, be patient
The Lord will make a way somehow
Often there’s misunderstandings of the things I try to do
Go to friends for consulation and they start complaining too
I look up and wonder why all good fortunes pass me by
And I say to myself, “be patient, the Lord will make a way somehow”
She Wanted to Go Home
They met in New York City, she was footloose and fancy free
He was an army major and as handsome as could be
When he spoke of his country place she envisioned southern charm
But to her surprise she found a run down shack on his California farm
Chorus
And she wanted to go home, she wanted to go home
She wanted to go back to the place where she belonged
The bright lights and the city nights the noises and the crowds
Oh she wanted to go home
They began to raise a family on a modest farmer’s pay
He worked in the woods and in the sawmill by the day
30 miles from town down a steep and windy river road
8 children and no car to drive she bore a heavy load
Repeat Chorus I
The children grew and moved away, the weight of time came down
That road became too much to drive, they moved into the town
She hated all those city lights, the noises and the crowds
That country farm, she had loathed, was home now she found
And she wanted to go home, she wanted to go home
She wanted to go back to the place where she belonged
On a quite country night, crickets sing their joyful song
Home, she wanted to go home
Old Man’s Story
You asked me to tell you the reason
Why these tears in my eyes never leave
You asked me if someone ever loved me
And while all my life I must grieve
I once loved a fair young maiden
Just as fair as the true stars above
And each night as we wondered together
The move seemed to smile on our love
She swore that she had been faithful
She swore that her love would not die
But after I would not believe her
She kissed me and told me goodbye
I found that I had false accused her
And went back to make her my bride
But there in the door stood her mother
And told me my sweetheart had died
I went in and knelt down beside her
Just there in the hull of the room
And I prayed that my maker might take her
And bring me down to my doom
Now I have told you the reason
Why these tears in my eyes never shine
For many a year I’ve repented
Just longing to lay down and die
I wonder if I’ll ever be forgiven
When I meet my maker some day
And I wonder if I’ll ever see my darlin’
On that bright and peaceful shore far away
Your Heart Was Made to be Free
You said that you would always love me
You told me that it was meant to be
But you left me here alone so broken hearted
While you’re off footloose and fancy free
Chorus
Your words will always haunt me darlin’
Since the day you left and proved to me
Your heart I thought was made for me, Love
But your heart was made to be free
Now you know that I had always loved you
You know that to you I was so true
But you took to the road just to ramble
Said that I could never be the girl for you
The Life That You’ve Lead
I saw you last night in the tavern down town
It didn’t seem right the crowd you were around
The glass in your hand told a story of woe
For the life that you’ve led is beginning to show
Chorus
The life that you’ve led is beginning to show
The heartaches you spread are now starting to grow
Someday tears that you shed like a river will flow
For the life that you’ve you must reap what you sow
The jukebox played low but your laughter was loud
The life of the party there with your little crowd
How much I still love you no one will ever know
For the life that you’ve lead is beginning to show
A Pair of Old Sneakers
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
Stringin’ each other along
Sometimes I feel just like a heel
’cause I know in my soul, that it’s wrong
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
Kickin’ each other around
Three times a week, we play ‘hide an’ cheat’
’til we’ve run that game in the ground
Chorus
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
We know that cheatin’ is wrong
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
And we’ve been in the closet too long
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
Worn out an’ comin’ unglued
Both wearin’ rings, feelin’ ashamed
Tryin’ to run from the truth
We’re just a pair of old sneakers
And nothin’ can tear us apart
Living the lie and lord knows we’ve tried
To stop walking on each other’s heart
The Last Old Shovel
Oh they buried him on the side of a mountain
Yes my darlin’s sleepin in the ground
And I stayed right there til they covered him over
Til the last old shovel’s laid down
‘Til the last old shovel’s laid down
‘Til the last old shovel’s laid down
I stayed right there and I cried and I cried
Til the last old shovel’s laid down
I think of him when its stormin’ and rainin’
In the mountains far away
and I long to be laid by the side of my darlin’
there’ll be rest for me on that day
there’ll be rest for me on that day
there’ll be rest for me on that day
oh I long to be laid by the side of my darlin’
There’ll be rest for me on that day
oh bury me where my true love lies sleepin’
where he lies in the cold lonesome ground
I’ll find sweet peace by the side of my darling
When the last old shovel’s laid down
When the last old shovel’s laid down
When the last old shovel’s laid down
I’ll find sweet peace by the side of my darlin’
When the last old shovel’s laid down
Little Community Church
I was lost in sin so long with no one to guide my way
My soul was in darkness had been there for many a day
In that little community church yard I heard the gospel song
I went inside to kneel and pray
Chorus
Oh I knelt down (and) prayed to my savior
That he might hear and would accept me
(And 2nd chorus) then I felt the holy spirit
I knew my soul was safe in thee
In that little community church house there’s where we sang and prayed
We prayed to our father guide us on our way
All through life’s long journey we’ll need his helping hand
Until we reach that promised land
In that little community church house among my many friends
I can hear them praying for me and the preacher said amen
And a vision there before me it was my Savior’s face
I knew that I was saved by grace
