| On October 23rd, 1978
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| I lost a loved one and I confess, I cried
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| In the joyous celebration of the lady and her music
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| There were tears in the Holston River
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| When Maybelle Carter died
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| Then walking down that river road
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| I saw crystal tear-shaped droplets
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| Silver beads of love sparklin' on the river side
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| And I’ll just bet they turn to diamonds
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| For the love that was behind 'em
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| There were tears in the Holston River
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| When Mother Maybelle died
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| Then on January eighth, nineteen seventy-nine
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| We lost Sara Carter
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| And the pain was multiplied
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| Down below that old Clinch Mountain
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| We laid her at Mount Vernon
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| There were tears in the Holston River
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| When Sara Carter died
|
| Then walking down that river road
|
| I saw crystal tear-shaped droplets
|
| Silver beads of love sparklin' in the riverside
|
| And I’ll just bet they turn to diamonds
|
| For the love that was behind 'em
|
| There were tears in the Holston River
|
| When Maybelle and Sara died
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| There were tears in the Holston River
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| When Mother Maybelle and Sara Carter died |