These are the chords I have played for years. Townes had an interesting phrasing and timing on this song. I am not that interesting. And depending on whose version you hear Caroline was either whoring or walkin' out on the streets. And she was alternately filled with lust, pain, hate, or grief. Any way it is done it is a fine song. Tecumseh Valley T(G)he name she gave w(C)as Caro(G)line (C)The daughter of a mi(G)ner And h(C)er ways were free And it se(G)emed to m(Em)e That the sun(D)shine walked besi(C)de her–-----. G She come from Spencer, across the hill She said her pa had sent her Cause the coal was low And soon the snow Would turn the skies to winter. She said she'd come to look for work She was not seekin' favors For a dime a day And a place to stay She turn those hands to labor Well times were hard and, lord, jobs were few All through Tecumseh Valley But she asked around And a job she found Tending bar at Gypsy Sally's Well she saved enough to get back home When spring replaced the winter But her dreams were denied Her pa had died The word came down from Spencer. Well she took to walking out in the streets With all the pain inside her And it was many a man Who returned again To walk that road beside her. They found her down beneath the stairs That led to Gypsy Sally's And in her hand when she died Was a note that cried Fare-thee-well, Tecumseh Valley The name she gave was Caroline The daughter of a miner And her ways were free And it seemed to me That the sunshine walked beside her
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