O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Man of Constant Sorrow: extended version

 

 
"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow"
The Soggy Bottom Boys
as sung on the stage in the film
  
  
 
"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow"
The Soggy Bottom Boys
as sung in the music video
  
 
"I Am the Man of Constant Sorrow"
The Soggy Bottom Boys
as found on track 16 of the Soundtrack
  
 
Woman:*** "Do you have the Soggy Bottom Boys performing 'Man of Constant Sorrow'?"
 
Storekeeper: "No ma'am. We got a new shipment in yesterday. Sorry, but we just can't keep it on our shelves."
 
 
(In constant sorrow all through his days)
 
 [cheers and applause]
 
  
(In constant sorrow all through his days)
 
(In constant sorrow all through his days)
I am the man
of constant sorrow.
I've seen trouble
all my days.
 
I am the man
of constant sorrow.
I've seen trouble
all my days.
 
I am the man
of constant sorrow.
I've seen trouble
all my days.
[overlap by audience member: "Hot damn. It's the Soggy Bottom Boys!"]
 
 
 
 
I bid farewell
to old Kentucky.
The place where I
was born and raised.
(The place where he was born and raised.)
 
 
I bid farewell
to old Kentucky.
The place where I
was born and raised.
(The place where he was born and raised.)
 
 
I bid farewell
to old Kentucky.
The place where I
was born and raised.
(The place where he was born and raised.)
 
[lively musical break with Everett clog dancing]
 
  
[moderate musical break]
 
  
[moderate musical break]
 
For six long years
I've been in trouble,
No pleasure here
on earth I found.
 [Homer Stokes interrupts at this point and Everett starts fading out this line, then stops:]
 
For six long years
I've been in trouble
No pleasure here
on earth I found.
 
For six long years
I've been in trouble.
No pleasure here
on earth I found.
For in this world....
[The following lyrics are not sung because Homer is speaking:]
 I'm bound to ramble.
I have no friends
to help me out.
(He has no friends to help him out.)
 
 
For in this world
I'm bound to ramble.
I have no friends
to help me out.
(He has no friends to help him out.)
 
For in this world
I'm bound to ramble.
I have no friends
to help me out.
(He has no friends to help him out.)
[Music resumes and
Everett continues with:]
 It's fair thee well*
my only lover.
I never expect
to see you again.
 
[moderate musical break]****
 
Audience member:
"Hot dog! It's the
Soggy Bottom Boys!"
 
[shorter musical break]
  
It's fair thee well
my only lover.
I never expect
to see you again.
For I'm bound to ride
that northern railroad.
Perhaps I'll die
upon that train.
(Perhaps he'll die upon this train.)
 
 
For I'm bound to ride
that northern railroad.
Perhaps I'll die
upon that train.
(Perhaps he'll die upon this train.)
 
For I'm bound to ride
that northern railroad.
Perhaps I'll die
upon that train.
(Perhaps he'll die upon this train.)
[overlap with Pappy
O'Daniel talking]
 Maybe your friends think**
I'm just a stranger
In case you ever
see your man.
But there is one promise
that is given:
I'll meet you on
God's golden shore.
(He'll meet you on God's golden shore.)
 
 
 
[moderate musical break]
 
 Maybe your friends think
I'm just a stranger
My face you never
will see no more.
But there is one promise
that is given:
I'll meet you on
God's golden shore.
(He'll meet you on God's golden shore.)
 
[moderate musical break]
 
 You can bury me
in some deep valley,
for many years
where I may lay.
And you may learn
to love another
while I am sleeping
in my grave.
(While he is sleeping in his grave.)
Pappy O'Daniel:
"That's fine! That's fine!"
 
Radio station manager:
"Whoo-ee! Boy, that was some mighty fine a-pickin'and a-singin'!"
 
[moderate musical break]
 
 Maybe your friends think
I'm just a stranger.
My face you never
will see no more.
But there is one promise
that is given:
I'll meet you on
God's golden shore.
(He'll meet you on God's golden shore.)
 
 
 
*: The closed captioning on the DVD shows this line as "It's fair to tell"
 
**: The closed captioning on the DVD shows this line as "If you see me"
 
 
***: The woman in the store is Gillian Welch, who sings "I'll Fly Away" and "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" on the soundtrack.
 
****: The length of the musical break and moving the audience member's line to this point allows the line "For I'm bound to ride" to begin at the same point in each version.
 
 

 

Return to the foyer -- Return to the "O Brother" entry page -- Return to Fluff & Stuff main page

 Last Update: April 9, 2006.




 Web page maintained by Roger J. Long. Copyright (c) 1997-2006 by Roger J. Long