on october 23rd 1978 i lost a loved one and i confess i cried in the joyous celebration of the lady and her music there were tears in the holston river when maybelle carter died then walking down that river road i saw crystal tear shaped droplets silver beads of love sparklin on the river side and i ll just bet they turn to diamonds for the love that was behind em there were tears in the holston river when mother maybelle died then on january eighth nineteen seventy nine we lost sara carter and the pain was multiplied down below that old clinch mountain we laid her at mount vernon there were tears in the holston river 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 there were tears in the holston river when mother maybelle and sara carter died