The Boys From North Carolina - John Hartford

Some say it comes a rolling down the hollers of old Ireland\nAnd up the mountains of East Tennessee\nFrom back in North Carolina\nWith Scottish tones and Indian moans\nAnd wails of rail-road liners\nThey helped along that old time song\nThem boys from North Carolina\nWell, they rode and growed all in the west\nWay out in old Missouri\nThen took off around the world\nLike lighting in its fury\nThere ain’t no way to sound the string\nIn major or in minor\nIt disappears all in the years\nIt brings a laugh throughout the tears\nForm the boys in North Carolina\nKentucky is the bluegrass state\nHer sunny skies define her\nThe western slope of East Tennessee\nNothing could be finer\nThem northern boys can make more noise\nThe pick could not be finer\nTo make that sound and get it down\nIt helps if you have been around\nThe boys from North Carolina\nWell, they stood in line around the block\nRight here at the Ryman\nTo hear that old mule kick\nFrom the boys from North Carolina\nGastonia to Boiling Springs\nFrom Flinthill back to Charlotte\nThey tried to find the place of birth\nStill talking about who played it first\n«The Boys from North Carolina»