New River Train
Darlin' you can't love but one (2X)
you can't love but one, and still have any fun
Oh, Darlin' you can't love but one
cho: I'm ridin' on that New River train
Ridin' on that New River train
Same ol' train that brought me here
Is soon gonna carry me away
Darlin' you can't love two (2X)
you can't love two, and in your little heart be true
Oh, Darlin' you can't love two (chorus)
Darlin' you can't love three (2X)
you can't love three, and still love me
Oh, Darlin' you can't love three (chorus)
Darlin' you can't love four (2X)
you can't love four, and love any more
Oh, Darlin' you can't love four (chorus)
Darlin' you can't love five (2X)
You can't love five, and get honey from my beehive
Oh, Darlin' you can't love five (chorus)
Darlin' you can't love six (2X)
you can't love but six, that kinda love don' mix
Oh, Darlin' you can't love six (chorus)
Darlin' you can't love but one (2X)
you can't love but one, and still have any fun
Oh, Darlin' you can't love but one
Transcribed from a recording of Bill Monroe back in '39 and '40 with a version
of New River Train, which I figure is classic blue grass
Additional verses:
Can't love four and love me any more
Can't love five and get honey from my beehive
Can't love six cause that kind of love don't mix
Can't love seven and expect to get to heaven
Can't love eight and get through them pearly gates
Can't love nine and be a gal of mine
Can't love ten er'll have to sing this song again
Darlin' remember what you said(2x)
Remember what you said, I'd rather be dead
Than see you leavin' on that new river train
(Doc Watson and unclenort)
Alternate Chorus:
I'm ridin' on that New River Train
Ridin' on that New River Train
That same old train that brought me here
's Gonna carry me back again.
These words and tune are from the Penguin Book of American Folksongs (1964),
compiled and edited with notes by Alan Lomax
Darlin' you can't love one
Darlin' you can't love one
You can't love one and have any fun
Darlin' you can't love one
Darlin' you can't love two
Darlin' you can't love two
You can't love two and to me be true
Darlin you can't love two
.. three and get along with me
.. four and come knocking at my door
.. five and get honey from my hive
.. six and keep me in this fix
.. seven and expect to go to heaven
.. eight and keep this business straight
.. nine and see me all the time
.. ten and be welcome here again
Lomax says Some hillbilly, who came to town and discovered the limitations of
his ancestral Calvinism, began this rhyme, and it has kept on rolling by itself
from coast to coast, to become the national chant of a rebellious American
libido. Lomax calls the song DARLIN'
WTB RF PP VH
Oct00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!