1849 Lyrics - Singles - Wink Martindale

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 

------ guitar ------ 

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