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Poor Ellen Smith TML # 008244
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A popular old time song recorded in various versions by many artists.
Poor Ellen Smith, how was she found?
Shot thru the heart lying cold on the ground

Blood began to fly, blood began to run
They shot my poor sweetheart with a 44 gun

Saw her on a Monday before than sad day
They found her poor body and took it away

Who had the heart, who had the face
To murder my sweetheart in this lonely place

Oh I stayed out six months and prayed all the time
They might find the one that committed the crime

So I could go back and my character save
Though flowers have faded on sweet Ellen's grave
Now I'm in jail and God knows it's hard
While my sweetheart sleeps calm in the lonesome graveyard

Now I'm in jail, a prisoner am I now
But God is here with me and hears every vow
I didn't love little Ellen to make her my wife
But I loved her too dear than to take her dear life

The jury will hang me, that is if they can
But God knows that I am an innocent man

Version 2
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1. Poor Ellen Smith how was she found
Shot through the heart lying cold on the ground
Her clother were all scattered and thrown on the ground
The blood marks the spot where poor Ellen was found

2. They pick up their rifles and hunted me down
They found me a-loafing in all around the town
They pick up her body and carried it away
And now she is sleeping in some lonesome old grave

3. I got a letter yesterday I read it today
The flowers on her grave have all faded away
Someday I'll go home and say when I go
On poor Ellen's grave pretty flowers I'll stow

4. I've been in this prison for twenty long years
Each night I see Ellen through my bitter tears
The warden just told me that soon I'll be free
To go to her grave 'neath that old willow tree

5. My days in this prison are ending at last
I'll never be free from the sins of my past
Poor Ellen Smith how was she found
Shot through the heart lying cold on the ground
This royalty free score was generated by the Traditional Music Library On Line Tunebook (Shareware Version). As-is copies of this score may be freely distributed. Further info from WWW.TRADITIONALMUSIC.CO.UK