[Verse 1] (Grandpappy narrator) Hush now, young’uns, draw close to my chair, I’ve got the Battle of Granny Mountain to share. In thirty-six when the dust storms blew, revenuers went up what fools will do. Up in these Ozarks near Yellville town, same mountain where old Granny still holds her ground. [Verse 2] (Grandpappy narrator) It started one evenin’ when the moon was high, a squad of revenuers come creepin’ by. They laughed and they boasted, “That old woman’s done, we’ll take Granny’s shine ’fore the risin’ sun.” Badges gleamin’, voices loud and bold that day, I can still hear from the one that got away… [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die. [Verse 3] (Omniscient narrator — calm, warm) The children leaned in closer, just like they always do, eyes big as saucers though they know the story true. They’ve heard this tale a hundred times or more, but every year he tells it, it grows a little more. The revenuers climbed higher, hearts beatin’ fast, thinkin’ Granny’s legend was a thing of the past. [Verse 4] (Grandpappy narrator) They split up the squad in the moonlit night, most went for the still, thinkin’ Granny no fight. One hung back near the cabin at first, then wandered to the graves, reckonin’ the worst. She rocked on her porch, listenin’ sweet to the dark, till mutterin’ footsteps struck a wrong kind of spark. [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die. [Verse 5] (Grandpappy narrator) She slipped off the porch, quiet as snow, skillet in hand, no mercy to show. Found that fool mutterin’ by pa’s old stone, one swing of iron and he dropped with a groan. Laid him quiet where the cold earth lay, then heard the others crashin’ far away. [Verse 6] (Grandpappy narrator) She grabbed her shotgun, loaded and true, slipped through the laurel like the night wind blew. Found the rest blunderin’, lanterns aglow, searchin’ for shine they’d never know. One boom in the dark, then another rang out, no more revenuers left to shout. [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die. [Verse 7] (Grandpappy narrator — aftermath) Next mornin’ there lay lanterns burnin’ so bold, badges and hats in the dirt, but the men all cold. Fresh mounds added to the row by the stone, gear scattered wide, but the men never shown. Only one stumbled down, eyes wild and wide, babblin’ warnings till the day he died. [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die. [Verse 8] (Grandpappy narrator — back to the porch) So heed my words, young’uns, when the night winds moan, some mountains keep secrets in dirt and in stone. Best leave her alone with her medicine brew, or you might join the row — that’s the gospel truth. Now tuck in tight and don’t make a peep, mind Grandpappy’s tale — and drift off to sleep. [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die. [Chorus] We thought we’d take her jug and shut that still down tight, marched up her trail in the cold moonlight. But Granny’s skillet found my head one crack, woke up in the dirt with a ringin’ black. Now her still runs free and the graves multiply, overlook that Granny or you’re sure to die.
