Carrie Brown

Carrie, darlin', Carrie, Carrie Brown, I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown, believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys, believe I'd rather die The first time I saw Carrie Brown She was so young and fair A voice like spring rain fallin' down And sunlight in her hair I'd never seen her face before So I asked all around They said, "Her daddy owns a grocery store And she lives in Bristol town" Carrie, darlin', Carrie, Carrie Brown, I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown, believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys, believe I'd rather die I laid my last ten dollars down Though I didn't need a thing Just to touch sweet Carrie Brown When she handed me my change I hung around till closin' time I scarce believed my eyes My darlin' walkin' arm in arm With a boy named Billy Wise Carrie, darlin', Carrie, Carrie Brown, I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown, believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys, believe I'd rather die I walked around in Bristol town A bitter broken man A heart that pined for Carrie Brown And a pistol in my hand We met again on State Street Poor Billy Wise and me I shot him in Virginia And he died in Tennessee Carrie, darlin', Carrie, Carrie Brown, I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown, believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys, believe I'd rather die Now I'm down in the Bristol jail And all I do is cry 'Cause the jury found me guilty And the judge says I must die I'm just a poor young mountain boy Ain't never been to town And I've come to ruination For the love of Carrie Brown Carrie, darlin', Carrie, Carrie Brown, I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown, believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys, believe I'd rather die