Mary-Beth is living in a world of her own Sitting in the schoolhouse she sews all day with twine Making up a picture, making up a song Some people say she's unusual in the mind They say that she's unusual in the mind My name's Abe, I run the general store
Mary-Beth's a strange one, pretty in her way Sitting in the classroom, a-rocking and a-swaying A-Sewing and a-knitting to the rhythms of the rain Stuff from what she's seen mixed with stuff from in her brain And some say that you'll see America in there Folks say you'll see America there
One day I had a strange dream and Mary Beth was in it I dreamed I plucked a bunch of flowers and went to make a visit I marched up to the schoolhouse and bent down on one knee Asked Mary-Beth respectfully if she would marry me Asked Mary-Beth if she would marry me I said 'My name's Abe, I run the general store'
Mary-Beth gazed down from the chair where she was sitting Said 'Abraham I thank you, and I will, on one condition Change the name of the store you keep, call it US Knitting And move it stone by stone to the top of Sugar Mountain Move that building up to the top of Sugar Mountain We will rebuild the general store
'There we'll sell my samplers, make paintings and sing songs Wait for the Lion of Judah who is rising like the sun Our pets will be the eagles, our crest a rampant bear And we will see the whole of America from there Some of it is pretty, and some is pretty queer But we'll see the whole of America there'
Mary-Beth's proviso didn't seem so strange I told her 'That scenario is easily arranged We'll live on Sugar Mountain, I'll bring my General Store We'll call it US Knitting and sell samplers by the door Our pets will be the eagles, and our crest a rampant bear And when the Lion of Judah roars a mighty roar We'll see the whole of America there'