Never let the devil get the upper hand of you    (intro)

 

          C                                                     F                   C

1. My tender parents brought me up, provided for me well,

                                                                   G                     C

    ‘twas in the city of Lanson Town, they placed me in a mill.

 

                  C                                                    F                     C

2. It was there I spied a pretty fair miss, on whom I cast my eye,

                                                             G                    C

    I asked her if she'd marry me, and she believed a lie.  + C - G - C

 

                  C                                                  F                         C

3. Three weeks ago last Saturday night, of course it was the day,

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    the devil put it in my mind to take her life away.

 

        C                                             F                         C

4. I went into her sister’s house at eight o'clock one night,

                                                           G                   C

    but little did the creature think on her I had my spite.   + C - G - C

 

      C                                                       F               C

5. I asked her, if she'd take a walk with me a little ways,

                                                            G                        C

    that she and I might have a talk about our wedding day.

 

             C                                                  F                  C

6. We walked along until we came to my little desert place,

                                                                   G                     C

    I grabbed a stick off of the fence and struck her in the face. + C - G - C

 

       C                                                                     F                  C

7. I run my fingers through her coal black hair to cover up my sin,

                                                         G                          C

    I drug her to the river side, and there I plunged her in.

 

        C                                          F                      C

8. I started back unto my mill, I met my servant John,

                                                             G                C

    he asked me why I was so pale and it so very warm.   + C - G - C

 

               C                                                      F                           C

9. Come all young men and warning take, unto your lovers be true,

                                                     G                     C

    and never let the devil get the upper hand of you.

 

(orig. = capo 2nd)    (The Carter Family)