This is a response to an old thread (11-26-96) that does not seem to have been answered. I have two versions of Brown Mountain Light, one from the early 80's by the Country Gentlemen and one from the early 60's by the Kingston Trio. The story and tune are basically the same in both. The words here are from the Country Gentlemen's version. Significant wording differences by the Kingston Trio are indicated in parentheses. The Brown Mountain Lights are a phenomenon observed in the Blue Ridge Mountain region of North Carolina between Blowing Rock and Linville Gorge. At night, bright star-like lights sparkle low in the sky. They increase, fade, disappear, and reappear through the night. In 1910, Rev. C E Gregory of New York built a cottage in the area. When he looked into the distant Catawba River Valley across Brown Mountain, he saw these intermittent lights. He told his friends and soon the whole valley was talking about them. Old timers suddenly "remembered" seeing them as far back as Civil War days. A 1913 investigation by the US Geological Survey concluded they were train lights. This mundane conclusion did not satisfy local expectations. A few years later, floods halted rail traffic in the valley, but the lights were still seen. The locals were delighted. Surely the lights were will-o'-the-wisp, giant lightning bugs, or some source never before known. In 1922, a second USGS investigation was requested by both NC senators. This time observations were made from three different locations. The study was more thorough, but the conclusions were similar. According to the report, the Catawba Valley is saucer shaped with the Blue Ridge Mtns on one side and the lower South Mountain range (including Brown Mtn) on the other. In the evening, air of different temperatures and thus of different densities flows down from the mountains. Variations in the density of the atmosphere between the source and the observer cause the intensity of the light to increase and decrease. The study determined that 47% of the lights were auto headlights, 33% train headlights, 10% brush fires, & 10% stationary lights. Not nearly as interesting as the legends; Posey Slewfoot, the mythical moonshiner, brewing up some incandescent mountain dew; or spirits of scalped Indians looking for a back door to the Happy Hunting Ground; or perhaps a lonely old slave searching...

rich r

BROWN MOUNTAIN LIGHT by Scott Weisman

In the days of the old covered wagon,
Where they camped on the flats for the night,
With the moon (stars) shining dim o'er the old canyon rim,
They watched for that Brown Mountain light.

CHORUS:
High on a mountain, Deep in the canyon below, (Down in the valley below)
It shines like the crown of an angel,
Fades as the mist comes and goes.
Way over yonder, Night after night until dawn,
A lonely (faithful) old slave comes back from the grave,
Searching for his master who'd long gone on. (who's long, long gone)

Many years ago a southern planter,
Came hunting in this wild world alone.
Then so they say the hunter lost his way,
And never returned to his own (home).
His trusting old slave brought a lantern,
And searched but in vain day and night.
Now the old slave has gone but his spirit lingers on,
And the lantern still cast its light.

High on a mountain...