Carrie Brown

[Chorus]

Carrie, darlin', Carrie

Carrie Brown, I cried

If I can't marry Carrie Brown

Believe I'd rather die

Believe I'd rather die, boys

Believe I'd rather die

[Verse 1]

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

Said her daddy owns a grocery store

She lives in Bristol town

[Chorus]

Carrie, darlin', Carrie

Carrie Brown, I cried

If I can't marry Carrie Brown

Believe I'd rather die

Believe I'd rather die, boys

Believe I'd rather die

[Verse 2]

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 'til closin' time

Scarce believed my eyes

My darlin' walking arm in arm

With a boy named Billy Wise

[Chorus]

Carrie, darlin', Carrie

Carrie Brown, I cried

If I can't marry Carrie Brown

Believe I'd rather die

Believe I'd rather die, boys

Believe I'd rather die

[Verse 3]

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

[Chorus]

Carrie, darlin', Carrie

Carrie Brown, I cried

If I can't marry Carrie Brown

Believe I'd rather die

Believe I'd rather die, boys

Believe I'd rather die

[Verse 4]

Now I'm down in the Bristol jail

And all I do is cry

Because 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

I've come to ruination

For the love of Carrie Brown

[Chorus]

Carrie, darlin', Carrie

Carrie Brown, I cried

If I can't marry Carrie Brown

Believe I'd rather die

Believe I'd rather die, boys

Believe I'd rather die