In the Pines

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Traditional American and Appalachian folk song originating from two songs, "In the Pines” and "The Longest Train", both of whose authorship is unknown and date back to at least the 1870s.

Chorus:

         E                                             A               G

In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines

                 B                                              E

And you shiver when the cold winds blow

            E                                                    A               G

In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines

                 B                                              E

And you shiver when the cold winds blow

My love, my love, what have I done

To make you treat me so? 

You caused me to weep and you caused me to mourn

You caused me to lose my home

(chorus) 

The longest train I ever saw

Was 19 coaches long

The only one I ever loved

Is on that train and gone

(chorus)

(solos)

I asked my captain for the time of day

He said he throwed his watch away

A long steel rail and a short cross tie

I’m on my way back home

(chorus)

The longest train I ever saw

Went down that Georgia Line

The engine passed at 6 o’clock

The caboose went by at nine

(chorus)

Notes on the music:

In ¾ time. Repeat lyrics twice as noted every chorus. We will be using the same chord progression throughout including instrumental between verses and solos.

Typical 8 bars:

E        A    G       

1xx2xx3xx4xx

B         E

1xx2xx3xx4xx

Instrumental after every chorus 8 bars, solos 16 bars, as many as needed.

Links:

More on the song and its history here.

Loretta Lynn version here. 

Bill Monroe version here. 

Nirvana version here.