LONG GONE FROM BOWLING GREEN
As recorded by Merle Travis on "Live (Recorded at San Francisco State College 1965)" (2014)

1. Now the ugliest fella that I ever seen
Was Long Lost Johnny from Bowlin' Green,
No hat on his head, no shoes on his feet,
Beggin' the women for bread and meat.
One woman said: "Johnny, what can you eat?"
"Forty-nine biscuits and a ham o' meat."

CHORUS: And he was long gone; he was long gone.
He was long, long gone from Bowlin' Green.
Well, he was long gone; he was long gone.
He was long, long gone from Bowlin' Green.

2. Old Lost John standin' on a railroad track
Was a-waitin' for a freight train to come back.
'Long come a train, a-skippin' and a-flyin'.
He missed the cow-catcher but he caught the blind. CHORUS

3. Old Lost John he crept in a woman's house.
Said he crept right in just quiet as a mouse.
The woman said: "Lost John, take a chair,
And I'll send a porter for a bucket o' beer."
"Never mind the bucket and never mind the beer.
The hound's on my trail and I can't stay here.

CHORUS: "Got to get along," and he was long gone.
He was long, long gone from Bowlin' Green.
Well, he was long gone; he was long gone.
He was long, long gone from Bowlin' Green.
He was long gone; he was long gone.
He was long, long gone from Bowlin' Green.