Take My Ashes to the River

She was the parsons only daughter
And a poor sharecroppers dream
Voice as sweet as falling water
From the cool clear mountain stream
We came to share a love forbidden
A union cursed by family
To be forever unforgiven
When we swore eternity
We settled hard on 20 acres
Plowed the fields, worked the land
But then the fever came to take her
With its unforgiving hand
I tried to soothe her aching body
But no peace I could provide
She said I hear the angels singing softly
I’m bound to cross that great divide
A mournful morning late November
Faithful to her last desire
I burned her body down to embers
Scooped the ashes from the fire
Down on the banks of the Blackstone
River
For to drown her memory
As her spirit I delivered
I hear her calling out to me
Chorus:
Take me to the river
(Take my ashes to the river)
Where it’s cold and deep
(Where the water’s cold and deep)
Take me to the river
(Take my ashes to the river)
Pray my soul to
(Pray the lord my soul to)
Keep