I have been a man of constant sorrows Lord, it's been trouble all my days I'll bid farewell to Fentress County To the place I was born and raised Farewell dear girl. I'm bound to leave you You may think I'm doing you wrong But nature binds on me to ramble And leave this home, where I've been so long. Kind miss, kind miss go and ask your mother If you can be a bride of mine If she says yes, then come and tell me If she says no, I'll go away But I'm bound to ride that Southern railroad I aim to go one thousand miles Oh while you were sleeping, while you were slumbering I am sleeping in the clay