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