The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Left My Gal in the Mountains

Left my gal in the mountains
Left her standing in the rain
Went down to the railroad
Caught myself a midnight train

Beat my way to Georgia
Landed in a gamblin' town
Got myself in trouble
Shot a county sheriff down

They put the handcuffs on me
Put me on a pullman train
Took me to Atlanta
Tied me with a ball and chain

The jury read the verdict
Murder in the first degree
The judge says take this prisoner
To the penitentiary

Left my gal in the mountains
Left her standing all alone
Last night I dreamed I got a letter
Saying honey won't you please come home

She said she was lonely
Told me that her love was true
Then I dreamed I wrote a letter
Saying I'm a-comin' home to you

Then I woke up this morning
Lying in the Atlanta jail
No one here to love me
No one here to go my bail

Prison walls all around me
Guards a-walking by my door
My heart's so sad and lonely
'Cause I won't see my baby no more

Submitter comment:

Informant heard approximately 35 years ago in lumber camp at South Haven, Michigan.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; South Haven ; lumber camp

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