NurseryRhymes.info
On Top of Old Smoky
1951 
USA Lyrics
I lost my true lover for courting too slow.
For courting’s a pleasure but parting is grief,
And a false-hearted lover is worse than a thief.
A thief will just rob you and take what you have,
But a false-hearted lover will lead you to your grave.
The grave will decay you and turn you to dust,
Not one boy in a hundred a poor girl can trust.
They’ll hug you and kiss you and tell you more lies
Than crossties on a railroad or stars in the sky.
So come ye young maidens and listen to me:
Never place your affection in a green willow tree.
For the leaves they will wither, the roots they will die,
And you’ll be forsaken and never know why.
History and Meaning
The American folk song "On Top of Old Smoky" (/'Smokey'/'Smokie') has deep roots, stretching back before it became famous in the 1950s. It grew out of the Appalachian Mountains, echoing the older folk songs brought over by settlers from Britain and Ireland. Like many old tunes, it was passed along by ear for generations, changing and adapting as it traveled through mountain communities. The name "Old Smoky" itself points to the Great Smoky Mountains, giving the song's story of love and loss a hazy, atmospheric backdrop.
The song really took off across America in 1951. Before then, it was mostly known regionally, but the folk group The Weavers changed everything with their hit recording. Their version, with its clear melody and that unforgettable first verse about losing a lover due to "courting' too slow," caught on like wildfire. Suddenly, this Appalachian ballad was everywhere, playing on radios across the country. The Weavers' success opened the door, and other popular versions, like Percy Faith's orchestral take, also found success around the same time.