Wagons rolled out under darkened skies

The sun refused to shine

Four-hundred people full of hopes and dreams

In eighteen-forty-nine

They waved goodbye, women dried their tears

Young men hid their fears

They headed west, full of confidence

That their fortunes would appear

They packed a trunk full of china, a bible or two

A shotgun for Leroy, a pistol for Lou

A pretty dress for Sarah

And a hat for sister Fay

No one thought their greed for gold would change their lives someday

They headed west in eighteen-forty-nine

Sixty-one wagons, two miles long in a line

They headed west in eighteen-forty-nine

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March winds came, filled the sky with lightnin'

It rained all day and night

Old men died and backs were broken

As they set their wagons right

They crossed the mountains, came down to the sea

Sure that it would be

Gold and riches and a life of ease

But what they didn't see...

Was a trunk full of china all broken in two

A shotgun for Leroy that he used on Lou

A pretty dress for Sarah

That they used to bury Fay

No one thought their greed for gold would change their lives that way

They came for gold in eighteen-forty-nine

Sixty-one wagons, two miles long in a line

A promised land in eighteen-forty-nine

A promised land in eighteen-forty-nine

A promised land in eighteen-forty-nine