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| Tab Definitions:										  |

| G: 320003											  |

| C: x32010											  |

| D: xx0232											  |

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INTRO:

G



VERSE 1:

G

One of my fondest memories

    C

Was sittin' on my daddy's knee

G

Listenin' to the stories that he told



He'd pull out that old photograph

       C

Like a treasured memory from the past, and say

 G           D                   G

"Child, this here's the Van Lear Rose"



G



VERSE 2:

Oh, how it would bring a smile

When he talked about her big, blue eyes

And how her beauty ran down to her soul

She'd walk across the coal miner's yard

Them miners would yell loud and hard

And they'd dream of who would hold the Van Lear Rose



CHORUS:

            C

She was the belle of Johnson county

     G

Ohio river to Big Sandy

  D                       G

A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal

        C

All the miners they would gather 'round

    G

And talk about the man that came to town

      D                                                 G

Right under their nose, stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose



VERSE 3:

Now, the Van Lear Rose could of had her pick

And all the fellers figured rich

Until this poor boy caught her eye

His buddies would all laugh and say,

"You're dreamin', boy, she'll never look your way

You'll never, ever hold the Van Lear Rose"



CHORUS



BRIDGE:

G

Then one night in mid-July

C

Underneath that old blue Kentucky sky

G

Well, that poor boy won that beauty's heart



Then my daddy would look at my mommy and smile

      C

As he brushed the hair back from my eyes and he'd say,

      G     D                  G

"Your mama, she's the Van Lear Rose"



CHORUS



      D                                                 G

Right under their nose, stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose