Done by Walter Brennan, I like putting them as a double play.

How old was I when I first seen old Rivers?
I can't remember when he weren't around
Well, that old fellow did a heap of work
Spent his whole life walking plowed ground.

He had a one-room shack not far from us
And well, we was about as poor as him
He had one old mule he called Midnight
And I'd trailed along after them.

He used to plow them rows straight and deep
And I'd come along near behind
A-bustin' up clods with my own bare feet
Old Rivers was a friend of mine.

That sun'd get high and that mule would work
Till old Rivers'd say, ''Whoa!''
He'd wipe his brow, lean back on the reins
And talk about a place he was gonna go.

Chorus:
He'd say, one of these days
I'm gonna climb that mountain
Walk up there among the clouds
Where the cotton's high
And the corn's a-growin'
And there ain't no fields to plow.

--- Instrumental ---

I got a letter today from the folks back home and
They're all fine and crops is dry
Down at the end my mama said, ''Son
You know old Rivers died.''

Just sittin' here now on this new-plowed earth
Trying to find me a little shade
With the sun beating down 'cross the field I see
That mule, old Rivers and me.

Chorus:
Now, one of these days
I'm gonna climb that mountain
Walk up there among the clouds
Where the cotton's high
And the corn's a-growin'
And there ain't no fields to plow.

With the sun beating down 'cross the field I see
That mule, old Rivers and me.

Old Rivers' Trunk
I was there at the auction sale, here awhile back
When they sold out, Old River's place.
Old Rivers was gone, mm and the taxes was due,
and they couldn't find next of kin, no-place!
You know it kind of brought a tear
, just to see that crowd.

Every friend Old Rivers had ever known.
Seems they was kinda paying there respects,
in the only way they could.
When they hauled out that dusty old trunk,
the man didn't even get a bid.
So I bid 2 dollars I couldn't afford.
I was kinda curious about what was under the lid.

Old Rivers is gone but not forgotten
For me he'll always live on, No more plowing, - the corn and the cotton
Won't have to, work no more.

Well I loaded that old trunk - and headed for home.
cause it was gettin along about dusk.
When the last of Old Rivers belongings was gone,
he never did get a hold of much.

Early next morning, I opened it up.
And the only thing of worth, that caught my eye
was a tattered old bible, that seem a lot of use
the one Old Rivers lived by.

Old Rivers was gone, but not forgotten
For me he'll always live on. No more plowing, the corn and the cotton
He won't have to, work no more.