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I’M GOING AWAY TO THE INDIAN NATION Sung by: Seth Mize Recorded in Mountain View, AR by George Fisher Click here to listen to the original recording I’m going out there a while to stay. Till I can hear from my relations, And the darling girl that I left behind. Farewell, pretty girls, I’m a-going to leave you, And I have no doubt you think I’m wrong. For I’ll make money, and I will spend it, And through this world I'll travel on. Here’s the ring that I will give you, And you place it on your finger fair, And when I'm gone and clear forgotten, Look on this ring. You'll see me there. So early, early in the spring, I was pressed on board to serve my king. And to leave my darling girl behind, Who'd often said that she was mine. As I held her loving in my arms, I thought she had ten thousand charms. She looked so neat and she kissed so sweet, Saying, "We’ll get married next time we meet." It was on one dark and a drizzly day, I taken a gold opportunity, And writing a letter back to my dear, But not one word from her did I hear. It was on one dark and a drizzly day, Our ship set sail for America. To the music sweet as the drum did sound, For America our ship were bound. I rode up to her father’s hall, Inquiring for the darling of my soul. "My daughter’s married for a richer life, Therefore go seek you another wife." I’ll go where the fife and the drum does play, And never ceasing night or day. Or go to the wars where the bullets fly, Or sail on the sea ‘til the day I die. Oh, Willie, Willie, stay on shore, And don’t go back to the sea any more, There's plenty of girls . . . Therefore don’t go where the bullets fly. Oh, cursed be gold, and silver too, And curse the girl that won’t prove true. You promised to . . . forsaken me, And married to the rich . . . (Mr. Fisher: “You call that one ‘I’m Going Away to the . . .” Mr. Mize: “Going Away to the Indian Nation.” Mr. Fisher: “And you’ve known it quite a long time.” Mr. Mize: “Oh, I knowed it ever since I was a boy. It’s old.” Mr. Fisher: “What is that, fifteen years ago?” Mr. Mize: “’Bout . . . ‘round forty or forty-five of them.”) |
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All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas Back to the Song Index Back to the Wolf Collection Homepage ©Copyright 2002 Lyon College |