I Am a Man Of Constant Sorrow
Dan Tyminski; The Soggy Bottom Boys Lyrics
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I've seen trouble all my day
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The place where I was born and raised
(The place where he was born and raised)
For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasures here on earth I found
I have no friends to help me now
(He has no friends to help him now)
It's fare thee well my old lover
I never expect to see you again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I'll die upon this train
(Perhaps he'll die upon this train)
You can bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave
(While he is sleeping in his grave)
Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
My face, you'll never see no more
But there is one promise that is given
I'll meet you on God's golden shore
(He'll meet you on God's golden shore)
Dan Tyminski's song "Man of Constant Sorrow" is a sorrowful lament of a man's lifelong hardships. The lyrics, "I am a man of constant sorrow. I've seen trouble all my day," don't just speak to this individual's current difficulties, but instead allude to a lifetime of such experiences. "The place where I was born and raised," refers to his home in Kentucky which he is departing, likely in search of a better life. However, the line "For six long years I've been in trouble, no pleasures here on earth I found," suggests that his escape from Kentucky hasn't been as good as he'd hoped.
The song's most heartbreaking moment comes when the character reveals that he has no friends to rely on. "I have no friends to help me now." The pain in this statement is amplified by Tyminski's soulful vocals. The second verse further describes the character's sense of isolation. "It's fare thee well my old lover. I never expect to see you again. For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad. Perhaps I'll die upon this train." The lyrics paint a vivid image of a man not just down on his luck, but truly alone in the world. The final verse adds an emotional touch by acknowledging the possibility of his lover moving on after he dies, leaving him to eternally rest alone.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a man of constant sorrow
He has experienced a lot of misfortune in his life
I've seen trouble all my day
He has experienced trouble throughout his life
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
He is saying goodbye to his home state, Kentucky
The place where I was born and raised
Kentucky is where he was born and raised
For six long years I've been in trouble
He has been having problems for the last six years
No pleasures here on earth I found
He hasn't found any joy or pleasure in life
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
He is destined to continue wandering
I have no friends to help me now
He currently has no friends that can help him
It's fare thee well my old lover
He is saying goodbye to his old lover
I never expect to see you again
He doesn't anticipate seeing his old lover again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
He is destined to travel on the northern railroad
Perhaps I'll die upon this train
He may die on this train
You can bury me in some deep valley
If he dies, he wants to be buried in a deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Wherever he is buried, he wants to stay there for a long time
Then you may learn to love another
After his death, his old lover may learn to love someone else
While I am sleeping in my grave
While he is buried in his grave
Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
Her friends may not recognize him
My face, you'll never see no more
She won't see him in person anymore
But there is one promise that is given
There is one promise that he can make
I'll meet you on God's golden shore
He will meet her on heaven's shore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Traditional, John Allen, Scott Mills, Victor Carrera
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Oliver
idk why but i get chills everytime i hear this song. i often watch the movie just hear this song. its gotta be my favorite song.
Josh Timmons
This whole album got me into the bluegrass scene and opened up a window into another world of music
dsvet
Check out Carolina Chocolate Drops
MrJohnr47
Me too
Stan Taylor
Welcome friend. It's a beautiful way to go through life.
Ben Brown
I love this song from O Brother Where Art Thou, never knew who actually sung it, knew it wasn't George Clooney!!! His voice is awesome!
larry presnall
I think it was in the extras on the DVD, but George Clooney said he’d originally sung the song, but upon playback, decided that a pro should do it. And Alison Krause said, “my guitarist Dan could do that!”
redneck44056
Great job done by Dan and Ron who are 2 of the best musicians to ever walk on this planet.
Nick
Their performance is awesome!
Link Union
This song never gets old. Love it!