This traditional folk song is one of the best love songs ever written. It was collected in the Appalachian Mountains of the USA. Possible of Scottish. origin due to the reference to the River Clyde. But with folk tunes one can never be too sure as the 'Clyde' mentioned in the song may be a local reference. The song goes back so far in America that it most likely has its roots in old world material.

Covered by so many it is not worth listing any of them.

Lyrics:
Black is the color of my true love's hair,
Her lips are like some roses fair,
The sweetest smile, and the gentlest hands,
I love the ground, whereon she stands.

I love my love and well she knows,
I love the ground, whereon she goes,
I hope the day will one day come,
When she and I will be as one.

I'll go to the Clyde to mourn and weep,
For satisfied, I can never can be,
I'll write her letters, just a few short lines,
And suffer death a thousand times.

Oh, black is the color of my true love's hair,
Her lips are like some roses fair,
The sweetest smile, and the gentlest hands,
I love the ground, whereon she stands
I worship the ground whereon she stands

@jackstrawvibes

A Stan Jones original from 1948 that was covered by Vaughn Monroe in 1949 and became a #1 hit. The tune has been covered by numerous artists. More recently the versions by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson are probably the best known. I went back the original Stan Jones recording for my version.

Lyrics:
Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,
An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day,
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way,
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw,
A ploughin' through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw.
Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o, ghost riders in the sky.

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves was made of steel,
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel,
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky,
For he saw the riders comin' hard and he heard their mournful cry.
Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o, ghost riders in the sky.

Their faces gaunt their eyes were blurred and shirts all soaked with sweat,
They're ridin' hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught them yet
For they've have to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snortin' fire as they ride on hear their cry.
Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o, ghost riders in the sky.

As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name,
"If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range,
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
A-try'ng to catch the devil's herd across these endless skies."
Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,
The ghost herd in the sky.
The ghost riders in the sky.
@jackstrawvibes

An old traditional Irish tune about a man who whisky makes a fool of and who gets done in by his lady friend. Dates back to about the mid 1600s.
@jackstrawvibes

This one probably goes back to the mid 1800s. First recorded in 1917 by Prince's Band as an instrumental. Later that year it was recorded by Collins and Harlan with lyrics.

My version is derived from Vernon Dalhart's 1929 recording. His lyrics are a bit different. Not odd as it is a typical folk song style of repetition where it is easy to change or add lyrics as the line rhymes with itself.

So you end up with school kids singing in the lunchroom (where else?): Great green globs of greasy, grimy gopher guts. (Got to love the alliteration there if nothing else!!) Really gives you a great appetite for the cafeteria food. Yummy.... Was tempted for a second to end with that verse...just for. a second.

Lyrics:
Oh, the old gray mare, she kicked at the whiffletree
Kicked at the whiffletree, kicked at the whiffletree
The old gray mare, she kicked at the whiffletree
Many long years ago

Oh, the old gray mare, ain’t what she used to was
What she used to was, what she used to was
The old gray mare, ain’t what she used to was
Many long years ago

Many long years ago, many long years ago, ohh
The old gray mare, ain’t what she used to was
What she used to was, what she used to was
The old gray mare, ain’t what she used to was
Many long years ago

The old gray mare she like the applejack
Like the applejack, like the applejack
The old gray mare she like the applejack
Many long years ago

Oh, the old gray mare she chews tobacco too
Chews tobacco too, chews tobacco too
The old gray mare she chews tobacco too
Many long years ago

Oh, the old bell cow come belling through the thicket
Belling through the thicket, belling through the thicket
Oh, the old bell cow come belling through the thicket
Many long years ago

Oh, I dance all night with a hole in my stocking
And my heel kept a rocking with a hole in my stocking
Oh, I dance all night with a hole in my stocking
Many long years ago

Oh, a great big house and nobody living in it
Nobody living in it, nobody living in it
A great big house and nobody living in it
Many long years ago

Oh, I ain’t got nothing and no place to put
No place to put, no place to put
Oh, I ain’t got nothing and no place to put
Many long years ago

Many long years ago, many long years ago, ohh
Oh, I ain’t got nothing and no place to put
No place to put, no place to put
Oh, I ain’t got nothing and no place to put
Many long years ago

@jackstrawvibes

An absolute favorite 20th century American classic! It was first recorded by The Pine Ridge Boys in 1939. It seems to have been written by Paul Rice who sold it to Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell who thereafter had the copyright. They recorded it in 1940 with a very popular version.

Some of the more memorable covers are by Gene Autry, Bing Crosby and Lawrence Welk In 1941, Nat "King" Cole in 1955, Ray Charles in 1962, Andy Williams and Marvin Gaye in 1963, Ike and Tina Turner in 1965, even Chuck Berry in 1975...and the list goes on.

I've taken my version basically from the 1941 Gene Autry recording but swap out the final verse which is actually like swapping back some of the original that Autry swapped out.

Lyrics:
Chorus
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
So I hung my head and cried

I'll always love you and make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me to love another
You'll regret it all some day

In all my dreams dear, you seem to leave me
When I awake my poor heart aches
So please don’t leave me and love another
Or you'll shattered all my dreams

@jackstrawvibes

Got a request for this so I gave it a try. Just learned it today and that may show a bit, but I wanted to get it posted.

Finally doing one from this century. It is from 2015 don’t know anything about the artist but after hearing Yelawolf's release thought I could take a shot at it. Hopefully, one of his fans can put some more info in the comments.

Hope I did it justice.

Lyrics:
Lately I've been afraid of myself
The closer that I get to rain
The more I feel at home, the further I'm away
And all that I feel is pain

Count me, count me, call my name
Don't leave me out in shame
Crimson tears falling and my shirt is blood-stained
And the devil's forever in my veins
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
And the devil's forever in my veins

The morning is a cross I bear when I wake
Am I asleep? Have I broken my faith?
Down on my knees, can you hear me when I pray?
Or am I a little too late?

@jackstrawvibes

If you haven’t heard this before...I suggest you crawl out from under that rock! Almost zany 🤪 enough to be a folk tune. But better yet it is a Beatles' tune...as if that needed to be said.

From their "White Album" released in 1968 (for those of you too young to remember), enough said.

Some how I picked it up while painting the trim on the garage...seems odd but true. I don't do it in the same key as The Beatles did because it didn’t suit my vocal. Tried it in about every key before landing in E which is not a normal key for me. Who cares?

A fun one, enjoy!

Lyrics:
Desmond has a barrow in the market place,
Molly is the singer in a band.
Desmond says to Molly, "Girl, I like your face,"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand:

Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.

Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler's store,
Buys a twenty carat golden ring.
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door,
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing:

Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.

In a couple of years,
They have built a home sweet home.
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones.

Happy ever after in the market place,
Desmond lets the children lend a hand.
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face,
and in the evening she still sings it with the band.

Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.

In a couple of years,
They have built a home sweet home.
With a couple of kids running in the yard
of Desmond and Molly Jones.

Happy ever after in the market place,
Molly lets the children lend a hand.
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face,
And in the evening she's a singer with the band.

Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes on.
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on, bra,
Lala how their life goes

And if you want some fun, take obladiblada.

@jackstrawvibes

Wake Up Little Susie was a #1 hit for the Everly Brothers in 1957. It was written by Felice and Boudleaux.

Covered by everyone from Donny Osmond to the Grateful Dead. And in between there by Loggins and Messina, Jerry Lee Lewis, Simon and Garfunkel, Jackson Browne, and Cliff Richard to name a few.

Lyrics:
Wake up little Susie, wake up, wake up little Susie, wake up
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie

Chorus
Well, what are we gonna tell your mama?
What are we gonna tell your pa?
What are we gonna tell our friends
When they say, "Ooh la la!"
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie

Well, I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
Now Susie, baby looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
We gotta go home

Wake up little Susie, wake up, wake up little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked
Our reputation is shot
Wake up, little Susie, wake up, little Susie

@jackstrawvibes

A traditional Bahamian folk song from Nassau originally entitled "The John B. Sails" and also called "I Want to Go Home", "Send for the Captain" and "Wreck of the John B". Richard Le Gallienne included it in an article published in Harper's Magazine in 1916 and in 1927 it was included in Carl Sandburg's in "The American Songbag".

There are many covers mostly in the 'folk' genre. Of course the best known cover is undoubtedly the Beach Boys from their 1966 Pet Sounds album.

Lyrics:
We come on the sloop John B.
My grandfather and me.
Around Nassau town we did roam,
Drinking all night, got into a fight
I feel so broke-up, I wanna go home.

Chorus
So hoist up the John B. sail, see how the mainsail sets,
Call for the captain ashore, let me go home,
I wanna go home!(yeah, yeah)
I feel so homesick, I wanna go home!

The first mate, he got drunk, broke in the Captain's trunk,
The Constable had to come and take him away!
Sheriff John Stone, why don't you leave me alone?
Well, I feel so broke-up, I wanna go home.

The cook, yeah, he got the fits and threw away all my grits,
And then he went and he ate up all of my corn!
Let me go home! Why don't they let me go home?
'Cause this is the worst trip I've ever been on!

@jackstrawvibes

Jim Croce's first hit released in 1972 from the album of the same name (The first REAL album I ever bought). It went up to the #8 slot on the pop charts.

Back then this song was all over the place. Jim Croce and Maury Muehleisen were making those acoustic guitar sings on all kinds of TV shows. Totally amazing! They were they reason I pick up a guitar.

So sad to have lost both of them so suddenly.

Lyrics:
Uptown got its hustlers, the Bowery got its bums
42nd Street got big Jim Walker he a pool-shootin' son of a gun
Yeah, he big and dumb as a man can come but he stronger than a country hoss
And when the bad folks all get together at night you know they all call big Jim "Boss", just because

And they say
"You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim"

Now, outta south Alabama came a country boy he said, "I'm lookin' for a man named Jim
I am a pool-shootin' boy, my name is Willie McCoy but down at home they call me Slim
Yeah, I'm lookin' for the king of 42nd Street he drivin' a drop top Cadillac
Last week he took all my money, and it may sound funny, but I come to get my money back"
And everybody say, "Jack, ooh, don't you know

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim"

Well, a hush fell over the pool room Jimmy come boppin' in off the street
And when the cuttin' was done the only part that wasn't bloody
Was the soles of the big man's feet, woo, yeah, he was cut in 'bout a hundred places
And he was shot in a couple more and you better believe
They sung a different kind of story when big Jim hit the floor, oh

Now they say:
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Slim

Yeah, big Jim got his hat found out where it's at
It's not hustlin' people strange to you
Even if you do got a two piece custom-made pool cue

Yeah, you don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Slim

@jackstrawvibes

Whether Molly Malone was an actual person may or may not be true, but no matter it is a great song. It has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin and a well-known sing-a-long. The title is sometimes given as "Cockles and Mussels" or "In Dublin's Fair City".

Lyrics:
In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
She wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
Alive, alive, oh, alive, alive, oh
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

She was a fishmonger and sure 'twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
They both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh
Alive, alive, oh, alive, alive, oh
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

She died of a fever and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh
Alive, alive, oh, alive, alive, oh
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

@jackstrawvibes

Red Foley wrote this with Willis Arthur and recorded it in 1935. Elvis covered it in 1956.

It was my Uncle Jack's (actually my mom's uncle) parade number. Now my mom can compare my version with Jack's...or Elvis' or Red's or any one else's for that matter.

Just learned, followed the original Red Foley lyrics.

Lyrics:
When I was a lad and Old Shep was a pup
O'er hills and meadows we'd stray
Just a boy and his dog, we were both full of fun
We grew up together that way

I remember the time at the old swimming hole
When I woulda drowned beyond doubt
Shep was right there, to the rescue he came
He jumped in and helped pull me out

So the years sped along and at last he grew old
His eyesight was fast growing dim
Then one day, the doctor looked at me and said
"I can't do no more for him, Jim"

With a hand that was trembling, I picked up my gun
I aimed it at Shep's faithful head
I just couldn't do it, I wanted to run
And I wished that they'd shoot me instead

I went to his side and I sat on the ground
He laid his head on my knee
I stroked the best pal that a man ever found
I cried, so I scarcely could see

Old Sheppie, he knew he was going to go
For he reached out and licked at my hand
He looked up at me, just as much as to say
"We're parting, but you understand"

Now Old Shep is gone where the good doggies go
And no more with Old Shep will I roam
But if dogs have a Heaven, there's one thing I know
Old Shep has a wonderful home

@jackstrawvibes

‘Ramblin’ Man was the Allman Brothers Band biggest hit. It was released in 1973 appearing on their ‘Brothers and Sisters’ album. Dickey Betts penned it. ‘Trying to make a living and doing the best I can’—great line.

Heard the sad news of Dickey’s passing last night, got the message to take a shot at it when I awoke this morning. I haven't played it since my college day so I have dusted it off and ‘done the best I can’ on short notice.

Lyrics:
Chorus
Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Trying to make a living and doing the best I can
And when it's time for leaving, I hope you'll understand
That I was born a ramblin' man

My father was a gambler down in Georgia
He wound up on the wrong end of a gun
And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rolling down highway 41

I'm on my way to New Orleans this morning
Leaving out of Nashville, Tennessee
They're always having a good time down on the bayou, Lord
Those Delta women think the world of me

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Lord, I was born a ramblin' man

@jackstrawvibes

Oh My Darling Clementine or just plain Clementine is an American folk Western folk ballad. It was composed by Percy Montrose in 1884 based on a Henry S. Thompson tune from 1863 which is in turned based on an even older melody in all probability.

I didn’t go to summer camps so I probably picked it up from the Huckleberry Hound cartoon. But being as it is as prevalent as the common cold, I could have picked it up anywhere. Was the second song in my guitar chord book...obviously with only a couple of the more 'kosher' verses.

There are lots of verses. I have tried to put together a cohesive 'traditional' version. Many are parodies and comical.

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" was released on John Denver's Poems, Prayers & Promises in 1971. He co-wrote it with Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert. It was one of John Denver's biggest hits.

Covered by lots of artists including Loretta Lynn, Lynn Anderson, The Osborne Brothers, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Ray Charles, Olivia Newton-John, Wayne Newton, Roy Acuff and that is just up to 1975.

My version is a bit up tempo and a bit more 'folky' than the original.

Lyrics:
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

Chorus
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

I hear her voice in the morning hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road, I get a feeling
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday

@jackstrawvibes

From Jimmy Buffet's 1977 'Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes' album. One of his biggest hits, if not the biggest.

Lyrics:
Nibbling on sponge cake, watching the sun bake
All of those tourists covered with oil
Strumming my six string on my front porch swing
Smell those shrimp they're beginning to boil

Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my long lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's nobody's fault

Don't know the reason, stayed here all season
Nothing to show but this brand new tattoo
But it's a real beauty a Mexican cutie
How it got here I haven't a clue

Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
Now I think hell it could be my fault

I blew out my flip flop, stepped on a pop top
Cut my heel had to cruise on back home
But there's booze in the blender and soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on

Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's my own damn fault
Yes and some people claim that there's a woman to blame
Yea I know it's my own damn fault

@jackstrawvibes