wandering hillbilly

songs of buddy don:
song writ with miz bd

Goodbye Old Tennessee

In our little town, most everyone was poor
But the Henrys were the poorest of us all
Their tin-roof shack had a couple rooms, very little more
No plumbing, no electric, tar paper walls
Seven kids, you had to wonder where they put 'em all

Tom Henry was the eldest, quit school when his daddy died
Took whatever work he could find
Day jobs a local farms cause he couldn't read or write,
But when they paid him with a pumpkin, he said, "I think it's time
For me to leave this little town and all you good old boys behind."
And everyone laughed when he said ...

[Chorus]
“Goodbye Old Tennessee,
I’m gone to Chattanooga
Gone to see Rock City
To see where Ruby Fell
Goodbye Old Tennessee
I’m mighty glad I knew ya
I might pass this way again
You can never tell”

We all had to smile when he thumbed down a northbound truck
Acting like he knew exactly what to do
We should have said “Good-bye,” but we all said, "Good luck."
Told ourselves, “He’ll be back in a week or two.”
What else could such a simple boy ever do?

It seemed like such a shame to leave his family thataway
But the Henrys weren't the kind to take help from anyone
When we would ask about him, his mama would say,
"Lord knows I miss him, he's my first born son
But I'm proud he had the guts to do, what had to be done
I'm even proud how he said ... "

“Goodbye Old Tennessee,
I’m gone to Chattanooga
Gone to see Rock City
To see where Ruby Fell
Goodbye Old Tennessee
I’m mighty glad I knew ya
I might pass this way again
You can never tell”

[Bridge]
Dad left me the store, so I had to hang around
Praying that the Interstate would not pass us by
It cut up our mountain and split our little town
Now you sit out on your front porch and hear the trucks roll by
And wonder why it seems there're fewer stars up in the sky
And wonder if it's failure if you never even try

Now Tommy lives in Ohio, works assembly line
Comes back to visit now and then
Bought his Ma a new house in that track called Shady Pines
Stops in to see me, calls me his old friend
Loves to reminisce about good old days, way back when,
Back before he said ...

“Goodbye Old Tennessee,
I’m gone to Chattanooga
Gone to see Rock City
To see where Ruby Fell
Goodbye Old Tennessee
I’m mighty glad I knew ya
I might pass this way again
You can never tell”

Goodbye Old Tennessee,
Goodbye Old Tennessee,
Goodbye Old Tennessee!