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 Her daddy owns a grocery store and she lives in Bristol town Carrie darlin' Carrie Carrie Brown I cry If I can't marry Carrie Brown believe I'd rather die 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 'till closin' time I scarce believed my eyes My darlin' walkin' arm in arm With a boy named Billy Wise 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 Now I'm down in the Bristol jail and all I do is cry 'Cause 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 And I've come to ruination for the love of Carrie Brown