[1] On the banks of a cool shady [4] river
I made [5] love to a sweet mountain [1] girl
And I begged her to be mine for-[4]-ever
And we [5] traveled all over the [1] world

Come aw-[4]-ay (with me tomorrow) sweet mountiain [1] laurel (for I need you)
You're the [5] flower (in my mind) in my [1] mind (flower in my mind)
Say you [4] love (love and stand beside me) me mountain [1] laurel (never leave me)
And for-[5]-ever be [1] mine

But she said she could never leave the mountains
So we spoke partin' words and we both cried
And my tears flowed again like a fountain
When they wrote me and told me she died

*Key modulates up a fourth on the second verse