Hills Of Roane County

Stanley Brothers

Traditional

Key of D · Chords: I IV V

Verse 1

       D                G           D
In the beautiful hills, way back in Roane Country
        D                       A
There’s where I roamed for many long years
        A     D          G            D
There’s where my heart’s been tending most ever
       D                       A          D
That’s where the first step of misfortune I made

Verse 2

      D            G                    D
I was about thirty years when I courted and married
       D                       A
Amanda Gilbraith I then called my wife
        A       D                   G       D
But her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
     D                  A         D
Just three months later I’d taken Tom’s life

Verse 3

    D                 G                D
For twenty five years this whole world I rambled
  D                                 A
I went to old England to France and to Spain
    A            D       G           D
But I thought of my home way back in Roan Country
  D                 A        D
I boarded a steamer and came back again

Verse 4

  D                         G           D
I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
    D                                   A
Not a man in the county would speak one kind word
     A        D            G           D
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning
  D                          A          A
A lifetime in prison was the words that I heard

Verse 5

     D                    G           D
When the train pulled out poor mother stood weepin
    D                         D
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
    A              D       G          D
And the last words I heard was Willie God bless you
    D                A              D
Was Willie God bless you, God bless you, good bye

Verse 6

Sweet Martha was grave but Corey was better
        D                              G
There’s better and worse, although you can see
     G        D               A          D
Boys when you write home from the prison in Nashville
      D                  A           D
Place one of my songs in your letter for me