Ginseng Sullivan

Tony Rice

Written by Norman Blake

Key of C · Chords: I IV V VI ii iii vi

Verse 1

C
About three miles from the Battelle yard
                          F
From the reverse curve on down
                     C
Not far south of the town depot
Am                   Em
Sullivan's shack was found
G7                 C
Back on the higher ground

Verse 2

You could see him every day
                 F
Walking down the line
                       C
With an old brown sack across his back
        Am               Em
And his long hair down behind
G7                   C
Speaking his worried mind

Verse 3

It's a long way to the delta
         F
From the North Georgia hills
                    C
A tote sack full of ginseng
                        F
Won't pay no travelling bills
    A              C
Now I'm too old to ride the rails
   Dm             G7
Or thumb the road alone
     C                F               C
So I guess I'll never make it back to home
               F           G7    C
My muddy water Mississippi delta home

Verse 4

The winters here they get too cold
                     F
The damp it makes me ill
                          C
Can't dig no roots in the mountain side
         Am                    Em
With the ground froze hard and still
      G7                      C
Gotta stay at the foot of the hill

Verse 5

But next summer when things turn right
                       F
The companies will pay high
                              C
I'll make enough money to pay my bills
    Am                      Em
And bid these mountains goodbye
G7                  C
Then he said with a sigh

Verse 3

It's a long way to the delta
         F
From the North Georgia hills
                    C
A tote sack full of ginseng
                        F
Won't pay no travelling bills
    A              C
Now I'm too old to ride the rails
   Dm             G7
Or thumb the road alone
     C                F               C
So I guess I'll never make it back to home
               F           G7    C
My muddy water Mississippi delta home