Written by Jim Anglin (1913-1987), who sold the copyrights to Roy Acuff (this was the case even with This World Can't Stand Long; it's been recorded by The Blue Sky Boys, Hank Williams, et al., and by Ralph Stanley(on Pray For The Boys), which is probably the source of Dylan's version.
Performed by Bob Dylan on various occasions since the first
performance in Portland, OR, Jun 15 2000
Tabbed and transcribed by Eyolf Østrem (who personally thinks it's
a rather silly song...) (although Hank Williams considered it “one of
the purdyest songs I reckon anybody ever wrote” – “all for poppa
during WWII”)
C . . |. /b /a | G . . .| C . . | . . . | . . . | . . .
C F
You ask me, stranger, why I make this journey
C G
Why I cross three thousand miles of rolling waves.
C F
Like so many others my love was killed in action.
C G C
So I'm here searching for his grave.
Somewhere among the many thousand Of all the Americans who died, true and brave, That's where I know I'll find him resting So I'm here searching for his grave.
Beside each crossmark there all around me I'll kneel down and gladly say a prayer For all the dear loved ones home across the ocean Whose hearts like mine lie buried over here.
Somewhere among the many dozens Of all the Americans who died true and brave That's where I know I'll find him resting So I'm here searching for his grave.