Old Smokey - Greg Brown

On top of Old Smokey

All covered with snow

I lost my true lover

For courting too slow

For courting’s a pleasure

But parting is grief

And a false-hearted lover

Is worse than a thief

A thief will just rob you

And take what you have

But a false-hearted lover

Will lead you to your grave

The grave will decay you

And turn you to dust

Not one boy in a hundred

A poor girl can trust

They’ll hug you and kiss you

And tell you more lies

Than crossties on a railroad

Or stars in the sky

So come ye young maidens

And listen to me

Never place your affection

In a green willow tree

For the leaves they will wither

The roots they will die

And you’ll be forsaken

And never know why