in the hills of north carolina
since the times of the early settlers
a strange light has been witnessed near the top of brown mountain
to this day
no one can explain the mystery of the brown mountain light
high on the mountain and down in the valley below
it shines like the crown of an angel and fades as the mist comes and goes
way over yonder
night after night until dawn
a faithful old slave
come back from the grave
for his master who is long
long gone
in the days of the old covered wagon
when they camped on the flats for the night
with the stars growing dim on the old high gorge rim
they would watch for the brown mountain light
high on the mountain and down in the valley below
it shines like the crown of an angel and fades as the mist comes and goes
way over yonder
night after night until dawn
a faithful old slave
come back from the grave
for his master who is long
long gone
long years ago a southern planter came hunting in this wild land alone
and here
so they say
the hunter lost his way and never returned to his home
his trusty old slave brought a lantern and searched
but in vain
day and night
the old slave is gone but his spirit wanders on and the old lantern still casts its light
high on the mountain and down in the valley below
it shines like the crown of an angel and fades as the mist comes and goes
way over yonder
night after night until dawn
a faithful old slave
come back from the grave
for his master who is long
long gone