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I was barely eighteen when the Lord gave me Willie,
Just a scared country girl and a small baby boy;
But the joys of the world seemed to double with Willie,
And we grew up together Willie and I.
How many sweet hours did we spend in the meadow,
Picking wild berries and eating our fill?
Then we crossed the green valley and watched as the sun set,
While we lay down to rest on the side of the hill.
Left alone by his father before he could know him,
I was six months along and had no way to tell;
That the love he had promised would not last forever,
And I watched as he left on the side of the hill.
He was barely eighteen when the government called him,
Just a scared country boy, my own darling Will;
It tore me apart when he left for the battle,
As I kissed him good-bye on the side of the hill.
Just two letters later they sent me a message,
Some stranger's bullet had fallen my Will;
My heart burst inside and I ran 'cross the valley,
And lay down and cried on the side of the hill.
It was early in autumn when they brought home his body,
No one knew the anguish, there was no one to tell;
Still draped in the flag that the government gave him,
I laid him to rest on the side of the hill.
Now, I know you're a stranger admiring the beauty,
Of this lovely green valley from the side of the hill;
But won't you forgive me for sharing my burden?
But my burden is heavy while I wait to join Will.
I stood there in silence as she told me her story,
God took back her heart when He took her Will;
Nevermore would their laughter ring 'cross that green valley,
She had buried her heart on the side of the hill.
Oh, how could I tell her or beg her forgiveness?
No one knows the anguish, there is no one to tell;
That though I had left them alone in the valley,
My heart stayed behind on the side of the hill.
Then I heard a soft whisper as it rose from the valley,
Her face grew so peaceful as if time stood still;
'Twas the voice of her Willie calling her from the valley,
And they left me alone on the side of the hill.
And they left me alone on the side of the hill.
Recorded by Tim Brown (The Old Picket Fence, Volume II, trk#9, 1994, engineered and produced by Wince Coles).
