A9* Am A9 Am Am G
Caleb Meyer, he lived alone, in them hollerin' pines
G D9* A9
And he made a little whiskey for himself, said it helped to pass the time.
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
Long one evenin' back of my house, Caleb come around
G D9 A9
And he called my name till I went out, with no one else around.
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
Caleb Meyer, your ghost is gonna wear them rattling chains,
G D9 A9
But when I go to sleep at night, don't you call my name.
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
"Where's your husband, Nellie Cane? Where's your darlin' gone?
G D9 Am
Did he go on down the mountainside and leave you all alone?"
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
"Yes, my husband's gone to Bowling Green to do some business there."
G D9 A9
Then Caleb threw that bottle down and grabbed me by my hair.
Chorus
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
He threw me in the needle bed; across my dress he lay.
G D9 Am
He pinned my hands above my head, and I commenced to pray.
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
I cried, "My God, I am your child! Send your angels down."
G D9 Am
Then feeling with my fingertips, the bottle neck I found.
A9 Am A9 Am A9 G
I drew that glass across his neck, fine as any blade,
G D9 A9
Then I felt his blood pour fast and hot around me where I lay.
Chorus x 2