1.

     |G    / /    /       |/     / /
I was born - - in East Vir-ginia,
/         |C    / / /    |G  / /
North Caro-lina - - I did go,
/      |C   / /   /         |G      / /
There I met - - a fair young maiden,
/      |D    / /   /      |G    / / - |
But her name - - I did not know.

2.

Oh her hair was dark and curly,
And her lips were ruby red,
On her breast she wore white lilies,
Where I longed to lay my head.

3.

I don’t want your greenback dollar,
I don’t want your watch and chain,
All I want is your heart darling,
Say you’ll take me back again.

4.

The ocean’s deep and I can’t wade it,
And I have no wings to fly,
I’ll just get me a blue-eyed boatman,
For to row me over the tide.

5.

I’ll go back to East Virginia,
North Carolina ain’t my home,
I’ll go back to East Virginia,
Leave those North Carolinans alone.