On the first day of winter, I was set to leave
With the lost awe of true love in my eye
The wild frontier outlaws and thieves
To find me a mountain in the sky

"There's gold in them hills!"
I heard the man cry
"There's gold in them hills for the taking
It's a one-way ticket down a river of lies
There's gold in them hills if you make it."

On the last day of spring, I first saw the sea
A poor boy with good luck on my side
Ready for riches, I rolled up my sleeve
And took my first step down my life

Had my wallet, same old pocket
Sixteen dollars, brand new shoes
Empty bottles, sad turned daughters
What's a country boy to do?

Tell dear mother that I miss her
But things are different now
There's nothing I can do
Your dark haired son is now long gone
Remember me
When you stare at the moon
I've broken my heart for diamonds and gold
Through scandal, through madness, through cold
All I have left is this gray in my beard
This mountain and the stories that I've told

"There's gold in them hills!"
I heard the man cry
"There's gold in them hills for the taking
It's a one-way ticket down a river of lies
There's gold in them hills if you make it."

There's gold in them hills
There's gold in them hills
There's gold in them hills
There's gold in them hills if you make it