Run Jeannie Run Lyrics - Harper Valley P.t.a. (the Plantation Recordings 1968-70) - Jeannie C. Riley

I was born a way back in the hills 

In a shack the oldest child of ten 

On one hot and sultry day 

Mama got sick and passed away 

Givin' birth to baby brother Ben 

I stood there and I cried 

As I watched my mama die 

I guess I was too young to understand 

Papa didn't shed a tear 

Or even really seemed to care 

I thought it was because he was a man 

When mama was laid to rest 

Pa said, Jeannie do your best 

I'm leavin' but I won't be gone long 

The town was many miles away 

Where papa seemed to wanna stay 

So soon after mama had gone 

Then it was work Jeannie work 

Jeannie work, Jeannie work 

The hard times had just begun 

Yes, it's work Jeannie work 

Jeannie work, Jeannie work 

For Jeannie there was no fun 

Papa started drinkin' wine 

And chasin' women all the time 

And livin' off the fat of the land 

We children did the best we could 

Milked the cows and chopped the wood 

And ate what mama left us canned 

One day the sheriff walked in 

To notify the next of kin, papa was run over by a train 

It had been almost a year since papa left us here 

We were sorry but really felt no pain 

The sheriff said that day children can't live this way 

Said he'd send someone to take us into town 

That night I said goodbye, my little brothers and sisters cried 

But I ran away so far I'd not be found 

And now it's run Jeannie run, Jeannie run 

Jeannie run, Jeannie's gonna find some fun 

Yeah, it's run Jeannie run, Jeannie run 

Jeannie run, run and find you some fun