As I was out walkin' and ramblin' one day
I spied a fair couple a-comin' my way
One was a lady, as fair as could be
And the other was a cowboy, and a brave one was he
He said "Where are you goin', my pretty fair maid?"
"Just down by the river, just down by the shade
Just down by the river, just down by the spring
To see the wild ripplin' waters and hear the nightingale sing"
Well they hadn't been there but an hour or so
'Til he drew from his satchel a fiddle and bow
He tuned his old fiddle all on the high string
And he played this tune over and over again
Then said the cowboy "I should have been gone"
"No, no", said the pretty maid. "Just play one more song
I'd rather hear the fiddle just played on one string
Than see the wild ripplin' waters and hear the nightingale sing"
He tuned up his fiddle and rosined his bow
And he played her a lecture, he play it so low
He played her a lecture all on the high string
"Hark, hark", said the pretty maid, "hear the nightingale sing"
She says "Dear cowboy, will you marry me?"
"No, no, pretty maid, that never can be
I've a wife in Arizona, a lady is she
One wife and one ranch are plenty for me"
"I'll go to Mexico, and I'll stay there one year
I'll drink a lot of wine, I'll drink a lot of beer
If I ever come back it will be in the spring
To see the wild ripplin' waters and hear the nightingale sing"
Come all you young ladies, take warning from me
Never place your affections in a cowboy so free
He'll go away and leave you as mine left me
Leave you rocking the cradle, singing "Bye, oh baby"
