Capo 2


A
Poor bottom Virginia
       D           E7
In the spring of '43
A
Waltzin' to your Ma's 
           D         E7
Clawhammer banjo melody
A
Tryin' to catch our breath
            D              E7
Beneath the lonesome maple tree
D             A
Shakin' and a weepin' 
    E7                     A
You declared your love for me

A
Sooner than we'd crossed the 
          D             E7
Threshold of your cabin door
 A
'Fore the blossoms fell 
            D                 E7
Our country called you off to war
A
I saw you to the station
    D                 E7
And above the engines roar
D             A
Shakin' and a weepin' 
          E7           A
Swore I'd wait forever more

D                A
And then soldier who 
     D           A
They mistook for you
D                     A          E7
Bore the brunt of the battle and died
       D      A
The misguided news
      D       E7
Ended my life too
    D             A
For shakin' and a weepin' 
  E7                   A
I became your brothers bride

A
Hangin' out the washin' 
     D            E7
Of a boy I hardly knew
A
Heavy with the promise 
     D          E7
Only dyin can undo
A
You crossed the prairie homeward
          D                    E7
With your heart beat black and blue
D             A
Shakin' and a weepin' cause your 
E7             A
Woman proved untrue

           D        A
And at the break of day
             D    A
Watched your body sway
         D         A         E7
From the arm of an old maple tree
        D         A
Cut the ropes red braid
         D          E7
With the same sweet blade
     D             A
That shakin' and a weepin' 
        E7              A
Sent me swiftly home to thee
                              E7   A
Wakin' and a sleepin' by your side eternaly