David Olney - Avery County lyrics

My name is Josiah I've come down to the river I don't care to see what's behind me I've traveled alone I'm a long ways from home There's no need for you to remind me The past I once had's Gone rotten, gone bad There's no loving smile to console me Well, the future's unknown But back there at home There's no one now left to hold me My days once flew by Like the geese in the sky Flying high over Avery County In our little mountain home I never felt alone It was me and Mama and Daddy Daddy worked now and then Odd jobs for a friend But he made most his money off moonshine We barely had enough But we always had love I never went to sleep hungry or crying Daddy left home one night With a load of white lightnin' Said he was heading for Charlotte But he never got that far Him and his car Crashed halfway down Kimbrough Mountain That left Mama and me Living off charity And what little Daddy had left us And pretty soon the bank Was breathing down our necks Saying they was going to evict us Well a man come around He'd just moved to town He started sweet talking Mama At the end of her rope She'd 'bout given up hope She believed when he promised to love her He preached and he roared Like a man of the Lord His message was Hell and Damnation When I stood in-between My mother and him He said, "Your boy here's in need of salvation." With his high holy ways He treated me like a slave Said I was born of the Devil He beat me til I bled Then he left me for dead His eyes shining wicked and evil Well I ran off that night In the autumn moonlight I could hear Mama crying for mercy I found a boat by the river I got in and untied her To the sound of his unholy cursing Long as this river flows I reckon I'll go Til it runs out into the sea If he follows me there I'll k** him I swear He's got no more power over me If my Mama were alive I'd tell her goodbye I'll see her someday way up yonder Now the sun's going down To the river I'm bound Fare thee well Avery County Now the sun's going down To the river I'm bound Fare thee well Avery County