Written by Leigh Gibson
verse 1 A E A E Sam Smith was an old man, by the time I first saw him. A E A B Wild eyes and a wicked beard, hanging from his chin. A E A E I thought I?d seen the devil, as a boy in ?99. A E A E My daddy called him the hermit, from on the borderline. Chorus A E A E He said They?re never gonna take him back again, and march him off to war. A E A B Where grey-headed men in long wool coats assign their bloody chores. A E A E They can look, but they won?t find, old Sam Smith this time. A E A E He?s somewhere North of Canaan Hill along borderline. verse 2 A E A E They say Old Sam was a veteran, he rode in the cavalry, A E A B Came home on a limping leg sometime in ?63. A E A E Bought a saw and a scattergun at Scagway's general store. A E A E He said, ?I?m taking to the woods so they won?t find me anymore.? Chorus A E A E No, they?re never gonna take me back again, and march me off to war. A E A B Where grey-headed men in long wool coats assign their bloody chores. A E A E They can look, but they won't find, old Sam Smith this time. A E A E He?s somewhere north of Canaan Hill out on the borderline. verse 3 A E A E Now every month on the twenty-fifth, he?d come back to the store. A E A B With a broken down old blue tick that would wait outside the door. A E A E and He'd yell ?Where?s my check from the government, and I want a block of cheese.? A E A E Then he'd fold it in a handkerchief he kept up in his sleeve. Chorus A E A E No, they?re never gonna take me back again, and march me off to war. A E A B Where grey-headed men in long wool coats assign their bloody chores. A E A E They can look, they're never gonna find, old Sam Smith this time. A E A E He?s somewhere north of Canaan Hill along the borderline.