i met her out in oklahoma down where the old red river flows i vowed my love to her forever she was my sweet sweet rosie jones we walked alone down by the river just as the sun was sinking low and in her eyes i saw big trouble like the muddy waters down below her lips were soft and sweet as honey her hair was bright as yellow as gold her cheeks were red as summer roses she was my sweet sweet rosie jones and then one day a tall dark stranger with hair as black as winter coal rode into town as night was falling and there he met my rosie jones i woke next morning just after sunup to find a note from my rosie s hand and it read i d rather die than ever hurt you but i m in love with that tall dark man so now i walk alone down by the river where my sweet rosie used to stroll and soon i m gonna join those deep dark waters for i can t live without rosie jones her lips were soft and sweet as honey her hair was bright as yellow as gold her cheeks were red as summer roses she was my sweet sweet rosie jones 