This is Ferrara again.... Francy skipped a line and refrain in the first verse. Should go like this:

Well sit down buddy we'll drink and smoke
Woman don't you weep for me
My hands can't fiddle and my heart's been broke
You damned old piney mountains
Lost my fingers in a Galax mill
Oh, Buddy sing a sad old song
An' My heart got broke in them yew-pine hills
Lord and my time ain't long

.... also in the third verse I think it's "Lost my fingers to a steel band saw," not "the steel band saw," but that's just trivia. :)

Craig described the origins of this song. It's mostly made up of direct quotes from a man he had talked to -- around Galax, I guess, I didn't pay enough attention at the time. He said that as they talked, the man kept saying, "Buddy, sing a sad old song," and Craig would sing another song and then they'd go on talking. And while he and Craig were talking, the man also told his wife, "Woman dont you weep for me," and "well, my time ain't long now," or words to that effect.

Bill, or anyone else who has heard the story, have I got this right or am I having another senior moment?

Rita