There's a low, river valley on the old Kentucky shore
Where I've whiled many happy hours away,
Just a sitting and a singing by the little cottage door
Where lived my darling Nellie Gray
Oh, my poor Nellie Gray, they have taken you away
And I'll never see my darling, anymore
I'm sitting by the river and a weeping all the day
For you've gone from the old Kentucky shore
When the moon had climbed the mountain, and the stars were shining too
Then I'd take my darling Nellie Gray
And we'd go floatin down the river in my little red canoe
While my banjo is sweetly out of play
Oh, my poor Nellie Gray, they have taken you away
And I'll never see my darling, anymore
I'm sitting by the river and a weeping all the day
For you've gone from the old Kentucky shore
(Pause)
Now my canoe is under water, and my banjo is unstrung
I am tired of living, anymore
My eyes shall be cast downward, and my songs will be unsung
While I stay on the old Kentucky shore
Oh, my poor Nellie Gray, they have taken you away
And I'll never see my darling, anymore
I'm sitting by the river, and a weeping all the day
For you've gone from the old Kentucky shore
(Pause)
Oh, my poor Nellie Gray, they have taken you away
And I'll never see my darling, anymore
I'm sitting by the river, and a weeping all the day
For you've gone from the old Kentucky shore
My eyes are getting blinded, and I cannot see my way
I can hear someone knocking on my door
I can hear the angels singing, and I see my Nellie Gray
So farewell to the old Kentucky shore
Oh my darling Nellie Gray, up in heaven there they say
That they'll never take you from me any more
I'm a coming, coming, as the angles clear the way
Farewell to the old Kentucky shore.
(Pause)