About three miles from the Battele yard

From the reverse curve on down

Not far south of the town depot

Sullivan's shack was found

Back on the higher ground

You could see him every day

Walking down the line

With his old brown sack across his back

And his long hair down behind

Speaking his worried mind

It's a long way to the Delta

From the North Georgia hills

And a tote sack full of ginseng

Won't pay no travelling bills

Now, I'm too old to ride the rails

Or thumb the road alone

Well I guess I'll never make it back to home

My muddy water Mississippi Delta home

(Take one, Kenneth)

Well, the winters here they get too cold

The damp it makes me ill

Can't dig no roots in the mountain side

With the ground froze hard and still

Gotta stay at the foot of the hill

But next summer, if things turn right

The companies will pay high

I'll make enough money to pay my bills

And bid these mountains goodbye

Then he said with a sigh

It's a long way to the Delta

From the North Georgia hills

And a tote sack full of ginseng

Won't pay no travelling bills

And I'm too old to ride the rails

Or thumb the road alone

Well I guess I'll never make it back to home

My muddy water Mississippi Delta home

It's a long way to the Delta

From the North Georgia hills

And a tote sack full of ginseng

Won't pay no travelling bills

Now, I'm too old to ride the rails

Or thumb the road alone

Well I guess I'll never make it back to home

My muddy water Mississippi Delta home