C                     Am7
You ought to go north somebody told us
          F                   C
Cause the air is filled with gold dust
    Am7                 F                   C
And fortune falls like snow flakes in your hands
       Am7
Now I don't recall who said it
         F                 Em  
But we'd lived so long on credit
          F             G                  C
And so we headed out to find our promised land

           Am7 
Just poor Smoky Mountains farm folk
       F                C
With nothing more than high hopes
        Am7                F          C
So we hitched our station wagon to a star
        Am7
But our dreams are failing on us
            F                Em
Cause there was no land of promise
               F             G                   C
Though it's a struggle just keepin' sight of who you are

              Am7                 Em
Oh and these northern nights are dreary
       F                 Em
And my southern heart is weary
       F             Dm                 Cmaj7
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
       Am7                Em
But I know that they all love me
           F                Em7
And they're all thinking of me
F                   Dm7                C
   Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong

                 Am7
You know I've been thinkin' a whole lot lately
             F              C
About what's been and what awaits me
         Am7                F              C
It takes all I've got to give what life demands
         Am7
You go insane if you give in to it
         F                   Em
Life's a mill and I've been through it
          F               G             C
I'm just thankful I'm creative with my hands


              Am7                   Em
Oh and these northern nights they're dreary
       F                 Em
And my southern eyes are teary
       F             Dm                 Cmaj7
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
              Am7            Em
But I'll keep leanin' on my Jesus
        F                Em
He'll love and guide and lead us
F                   Dm7                C
   Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong

              Am7            Em
If I'll keep looking to the father
    F              Em          F
Keep our heads above the water
                 Dm7              G           C
While the Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong