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

Her daddy owns a grocery store and she lives in Bristol town



Carrie darlin' Carrie Carrie Brown I cry

If I can't marry Carrie Brown believe I'd rather die



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 till closin' time I scarce believed my eyes

My darlin' walkin' arm in arm

With a boy named Billy Wise



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



Now I'm down in the Bristol jail and all I do is cry

Cause 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

And I've come to ruination for the love of Carrie Brown