On Top of Old Smokey

My grandma used to sing this song to me when I was little. Now, it’s probably been 18 years since I last heard it, let alone read the lyrics…but the context of this song is actually quite adult. Actually, rivals most songwriting of modern musicians to date. Which got me thinking about the way children are raised these days. I mean, I had Raffi as a kid, and Kid Songs and all that crap. Sure. But I never had Hannah Montana or The Jonas Brothers. Or The Wiggles. I’m sure there was an equivalent when I was young, but luckily my parents never exposed me to it.

So parents, when you sing your kids to sleep. Sing them songs of earnest heartbreak and reality. Not bubblegum pop with an “image”.

“On Top of Old Smokey”

On top of Old Smokey,
All covered with snow,
I lost my true lover,
For courting too slow.

For courting’s a pleasure,
But parting is grief,
And a false-hearted lover,
Is worse than a thief.

A thief will just rob you,
And take what you have,
But a false-hearted lover,
Will lead you to your grave.

The grave will decay you,
And turn you to dust,
Not one boy in a hundred
A poor girl can trust.

They’ll hug you and kiss you,
And tell you more lies,
Than crossties on a railroad,
Or stars in the sky.

So come ye young maidens,
And listen to me,
Never place your affection
In a green willow tree.

For the leaves they will wither,
The roots they will die,
And you’ll be forsaken,
And never know why.