D
About three miles from the Batelle yard
                          G
From the reverse curve on down
                     D
Not far south of the town depot
G                    Bm
Sullivan's shack was found
A                  D
Back on the higher ground.

D
You could see him every day
                      G
Just walking down the line
                         D
With his old brown sack across his back
        G                Bm
And his long hair down behind
A                    D
Speaking his worried mind.

            D
cho: It's a long way to the delta
              G
     From the North Georgia hills
                         D
     A tote sack full of ginseng
                             G  G7
     Won't pay no travelling bills
          C              D
     Now, I'm too old to ride the rails
        Em             A
     Or thumb the road alone
          D                G               D
     So I guess I'll never make it back to home
     D              G           A     D
     My muddy water Mississippi delta home.

D
The winters here, they get too cold
                     G
The damp it makes me ill
                          D
Can't dig no roots in the mountain side
         G                     Bm
With the ground froze hard and still
      A                       D
Gotta stay at the foot of the hill.
D
But next summer, things turn right
                       G
The companies will pay high
                          D
I'll make enough money to pay my bills
G                       Bm
Bid these mountains goodbye
A                   D
Then he said with a sigh:

[chorus]