Steve Earle — Carrie Brown

[Chorus] Carrie, darlin', Carrie Carrie Brown, I cried If I can't marry Carrie Brown Believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys Believe I'd rather die [Verse 1] The first time I saw Carrie Brown She was so young and fair A voice like spring rain fallin' down And sunlight in her hair I'd never seen her face before So I asked all around Said her daddy owns a grocery store She lives in Bristol town [Chorus] Carrie, darlin', Carrie Carrie Brown, I cried If I can't marry Carrie Brown Believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys Believe I'd rather die [Verse 2] I laid my last ten dollars down Though I didn't need a thing Just to touch sweet Carrie Brown When she handed me my change I hung around 'til closin' time Scarce believed my eyes My darlin' walking arm in arm With a boy named Billy Wise [Chorus] Carrie, darlin', Carrie Carrie Brown, I cried If I can't marry Carrie Brown Believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys Believe I'd rather die [Verse 3] I walked around in Bristol town A bitter broken man A heart that pined for Carrie Brown And a pistol in my hand We met again on State Street Poor Billy Wise and me I shot him in Virginia And he died in Tennessee [Chorus] Carrie, darlin', Carrie Carrie Brown, I cried If I can't marry Carrie Brown Believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys Believe I'd rather die [Verse 4] Now I'm down in the Bristol jail And all I do is cry Because the jury found me guilty And the judge says I must die I'm just a poor young mountain boy Ain't never been to town I've come to ruination For the love of Carrie Brown [Chorus] Carrie, darlin', Carrie Carrie Brown, I cried If I can't marry Carrie Brown Believe I'd rather die Believe I'd rather die, boys Believe I'd rather die