I couldn't find the lyrics on Google. Yes, Google failed. I did find it on Miller's board. As a rebuke to Google then ...
HIGHLAND COUNTY BOY
I am a Highland County boy and William is my name
I farm those rocky hills before the Jackson is the James
Well my brothers they all joined 'the cause'
But I was left behind
Too old to hold in Mama's arms
And much too frail to fight
But I remember the day they marched away
They sang down Richmond Road
"Ol' Lincoln's bound like ol' John Brown
for the long end of a rope"
Well one died at Manasass, sir, and one at Malvern Hill
And after making it through that, Archer he took ill
Charlie's lost but not confirmed
When they fought at Cross Keys
The last sight that they had of him
Was crawling through the weeds
A letter said a shower of lead
Had hit the men down low
And they danced around like ol' John Brown
On the long end of a rope
The spark of plow to rock is now the only fight I've known
And the songs of victory that they sang don't help the seeds I've sown
'Tis wickedness and self conceit that is the bane of man
So the farmer and the land compete
As God's first reprimand
There'll be a day when the Blue and Grey
Will hear the trumpets blow
And they'll danced around like ol' John Brown
On the long end of a rope
I am a Highland County boy and William is my name
I farm those rocky hills before the Jackson is the James
Well my brothers they all joined 'the cause'
But I was left behind
Too old to hold in Mama's arms
And much too frail to fight
But I remember the day they marched away
They sang down Richmond Road
"Ol' Lincoln's bound like ol' John Brown
for the long end of a rope"
Well one died at Manasass, sir, and one at Malvern Hill
And after making it through that, Archer he took ill
Charlie's lost but not confirmed
When they fought at Cross Keys
The last sight that they had of him
Was crawling through the weeds
A letter said a shower of lead
Had hit the men down low
And they danced around like ol' John Brown
On the long end of a rope
The spark of plow to rock is now the only fight I've known
And the songs of victory that they sang don't help the seeds I've sown
'Tis wickedness and self conceit that is the bane of man
So the farmer and the land compete
As God's first reprimand
There'll be a day when the Blue and Grey
Will hear the trumpets blow
And they'll danced around like ol' John Brown
On the long end of a rope
October 15, 2006 Update. This post gets a fair bit of traffic - at least a few per week. Anyone who has come by looking for lyrics to "Highland County Boy" feel free to say something in the comments.
