Big Muddy Folk Festival 2016 Open Mike

Barney Hartline performing The Dreary Black Hills

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The Dreary Black Hills
Jim Ringer Version

Kind friends, listen here to my pitiful tail,
I’m an object of pity, and looking quite stale,
I gave up my job selling Wright Patent Pills
To prospect for gold in these dreary Black Hills.
C: So don't go away, stay at home if you can,
Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne,
For Old Sittin’ Bull and chief Wallopie Bill
They’ll will lift off your hair in them dreary Black Hills
As I was out riding one morning in May
As I was out riding one morning for a day
I met General Custer and Buffalo Bill
They claimed they’d found gold
In them Dreary Black Hills
C: So don't go away, stay at home if you can,
Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne,
For Old Sittin’ Bull and chief Wallopie Bill
They’ll will lift off your hair in them dreary Black Hills
Well I got to Cheyenne but no gold could did I find,
I thought of the lunch route that l'd left behind;
Through rain, hail, and snow, frozen plumb to the gills,
They call me the orphan of the dreary Black Hills.

C: So don't go away, stay at home if you can,
Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne,
For old Sittin’ Bull and Chief Comanche Dan
They’re raisin’ pure hell round the town of Cheyenne.

Well, I wish that the fella that started this sell
Was a captive, and Crazy Horse had him in hell.
There's no use in grieving or swearing like pitch,
But a man who would stay here is a son of a bitch.

C: So don't go away, stay at home if you can,
Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne,
For Old Sittin’ Bull and chief Wallopie Bill
They’ll lift off your hair in them dreary Black Hills

The roundhouse at Cheyenne is filled every night
With loafers and bummers of most every plight;
On their backs is no clothes, in their pockets no bills,
And each day they keep starting for the dreary Black Hills.
C: So don't go away, stay at home if you can,
Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne,
For Old Sittin’ Bull and chief Wallopie Bill
They’ll will lift off your hair in them dreary Black Hills

C: No don’t go away stay at home if you can
Stay away from that city they call it Cheyenne
I’d rather be home layin’ sick in my bed
Than a target for some of old Sittin’ Bulls lead.