I was born a way back in the hills in a shack the oldest child of ten
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On one hot and sultry day mama got sick and passed away
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Givin' birth to baby brother Ben
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I stood there and I cried as I watched my mama die
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I guess I was too young to understand
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Papa didn't shed a tear or even really seemed to care
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I thought it was because he was a man
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When mama was laid to rest pa said Jeannie do your best
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I'm leavin' but I won't be gone long
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The town was many miles away where papa seemed to wanna stay
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So soon after mama had gone
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Then it was work Jeannie work Jeannie work Jeannie work
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The hard times had just begun
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Yes it's work Jeannie work Jeannie work Jeannie work for Jeannie there was no fun
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Papa started drinkin' wine and chasin' women all the time
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And livin' off the fat of the land
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We children did the best we could milked the cows and chopped the wood
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And ate what mama left us canned
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One day the sheriff walked in to notify the next of kin papa was run over by a train
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It had been almost a year since papa left us here we were sorry but really felt no pain
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The sheriff said that day children can't live this way
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Said he'd send someone to take us into town
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That night I said goodbye my little brothers and sisters cried
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But I ran away so far I'd not be found
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And now it's run Jeannie run Jeannie run Jeannie run Jeannie's gonna find some fun
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Yeah it's run Jeannie run Jeannie run Jeannie run run and find you some fun
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Run Jeannie Run
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Jeannie C. Riley |