I am a man of constant sorrow

[ET Awful]

I have seen trouble all my days
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The State where I was born and raised

For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasure here on earth I've found
For in this world I'm bound to travel
I have no friends to help me now

You may bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave

Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
My face you'll never see no more
But there is one promise that is given
I'll meet you on God's golden shore

[EstimatedProphet]

1. I love that song!

It's almost always in my head!

[ET Awful]

2. hehehe, I alternate between that and Shady Grove pretty often :)

n/t

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

9. Shady Grove is great!

one of my favorite old time tunes....

[redqueen]

3. Love that song!

I really need to get the soundtrack...

[Worst Username Ever]

4. GREAT soundtrack.

I highly recommend.

[ET Awful]

7. It is a great soundtrack, except I wasn't thinking of that version

I was actually thinking of the Jerry Garcia, Tony Rice, David Grisman version from the Pizza Tapes. :)

[Worst Username Ever]

10. didja know

the original lyrics were actually "Maid" of constant sorrow?

[ET Awful]

11. I've never heard that :).

I've heard versions going back a pretty long way (late 1920's maybe)never heard it as maid, but I don't claim to be an authority :)

[Worst Username Ever]

12. You sure you've listened?

http://xenia.media.mit.edu/~kristin/songbook/CampfireBallads/AMaidOfConstantSorrow.pdf

http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/MaxHunter/1525/

the song is acually based off of an old poem, which said "maid."

:P

on edit: Yep, looks like the original recording was, indeed, "Man of constant sorrow" in 1913. I'm a dumbass.

http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/master/manofconstantsorrow2.html

[ET Awful]

13. I wasn't questioning you, just saying I've never heard it that way :)

Doesn't matter who's right or wrong, it's just a song. :)

I must say though, I LIKE those original lyrics. . . it's changed quite a bit, but I can see these as sounding REALLY good :)

1) I am a man of constant sorrow,
I have seen trouble all my days.
I’ll bid farewell to to old Virginia,
The place where I was partly raised.

2) But when I was in old Virginia,
North Carolina I did go,
There I spied a handsome lady
O her name I did not know.

3) I always thought I had seen trouble,
But know I know it’s common run;
I’ll hang my head like a humble Christian,
And on my journey I’ll go on.

4) When I am in some lonesome hour,
When I am walking all alone,
I’ll wipe the briny tears of sorrow,
And think of you when far away.

[Worst Username Ever]

15. Yeah I know I was wrong. See my updated post.

[ET Awful]

17. It doesn't matter who was wrong or right, it's just a song

I just like some of the older lyrics in that version you tracked down. Cool stuff :).

[jukes]

14. & an excellent film

many good lib's therein!

[Worst Username Ever]

16. He's BONA-fide!

[ET Awful]

18. I liked the old blind man on the hand car better. . .

I HAVE NO NAME.

I loved that whole scene.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. Here's another old-timey...

When sorrows encompass me round
And many distresses I see
Astonished I cry, Can a mortal be found
Surrounded with troubles like me?

Few seasons of peace I enjoy
And they are succeeded by pain
If e'er a few moments of praise I employ
I have hours and days to complain

O! when will my sorrows subside?
O! when will my sufferings cease?
O! when to the bosom of Christ be conveyed?
To the mansions of glory and bliss?

May I be prepared for that day
When Jesus shall bid me remove
That I may in raptures go shouting away
To the arms of my heav'nly Love.

My spirit to glory conveyed
My body laid low in the ground
I wish not a tear at my grave to be shed
But all join in praising around

No sorrow be vented that day
When Jesus hath called me home
With singing and shouting let each brother say
"He's gone from the evil to come."

If souls disembodied can know
Or visit their brethern beneath
My spirit shall join you, while singing you go
And leave all my cares in the grave

Immersed in the ocean of love
My soul, like an angel shall sing
Till Christ shall descend with a shout from above
And make all creation to ring

Our bodies, in dust shall obey
And swifter than thought shall arise
Then, changed in a moment, go shouting away
To mansions of love in the skies.

[rfkrocks]

6. At least it is up beat about death

unlike Ralph Stanley's version of "O Death" in the soundtrack:scared:

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

8. yeah,great....!!! Love prebluegrass/old time music..Hard Times

from before the Civil War:

. Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

2. While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay.
There are frail forms fainting at the door.
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

3. There's pale drooping maiden who foils her life away
With a worn out heart, whose better days are o'er.
Though her voice it would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.


I heard a great neo-bluegrass/old time rendition of this by the Dry Branch Fire Squad

[egran]

19. Real old Timey

The rich man lay on a velvet couch

And ate from platters of gold

The poor girl lay on the marble steps

And cried, "so cold, so cold."


<b>Now that's an old timey. Another version....</b>


While the rich man lay on his velvet couch

And dreamed of silver and gold

The little girl lay on a bed of ice

And murmured, "I'm cold, cold, cold"


<b> one of the sad endings....</b>


The morning dawned and the rich man yawned

But the girl lay stiff at his door

'cause her soul had gone to it's heav'nly home

Where there's food and warmth for the poor