Death of Floyd Collins (Recorded 1926)

Oh, come all you young people and listen while I tell The fate of Floyd Collins, a lad we all knew well His face was fair and handsome His heart was true and brave His body now lies sleeping in a lonely sandstone cave How sad, how sad the story, it fills our eyes with tears The memory too, will linger for many, many years A brokenhearted father, who tried his boy to save Will now weep tears of sorrow at the door of Floyd's cave Oh, mother, don't you worry; dear father, don't be sad I'll tell you all my story in an awful dream I had I dreamed I was a prisoner, my life I could not save I cried, "Oh, must I perish within this silent cave?" The rescue party labored, they worked both night and day To move the mighty barrier that stood within the way To rescue Floyd Collins, this was their battle cry "We'll never, no, we'll never let Floyd Collins die" But on that fatal morning, the sun rose in the sky The workers still were busy, we'll save him by and by But, oh, how sad the ending, his life could not be saved His body then was sleeping in the lonely sandstone cave Young people, oh, take warning from Floyd Collins' fate And get right with your Maker before it is too late It may not be a sand cave in which we find our tomb But at the bar of judgement, we, too, must meet our doom