HATTIE NEVADA WROTE THE MUSIC AND LYRICS FOR
"LETTER EDGED IN BLACK" IN 1897.
SHE PLAYED THE DULCIMER WHILE SHE SANG HER SONG TO
AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE EAST AND MID-WEST.
THE SONG WAS NOT RECORDED UNTIL 1925 WHEN VERNON DALHART ADDED HIS REKNOWN HILL COUNTRY SOUND. TEN YEARS LATER, BRADLEY KINCAID RECORDED THE SONG. ROY CARTER RE-PHRASED THE SONG IN 1960. JIM REEVES AND HANK SNOW BOTH RECORDED THE SONG ONCE AGAIN.
MARTY ROBBINS RECORDED THIS SONG
IN 1982. HE IS SINGING
"LETTER EDGED IN BLACK."
SEPTEMBER 26, 1925-DECEMBER 8, 1982
I WAS STANDING BY MY WINDOW YESTERDAY MORNING,
WITHOUT A THOUGHT OF WORRY OR OF CARE.
WHEN I SAW THE POSTMAN COMING UP THE PATHWAY,
WITH SUCH A HAPPY FACE AND JOLLY AIR.
HE RANG THE BELL AND WHISTLED AS HE WAITED,
THEN HE SAID "GOOD MORNING, TO YOU, JACK."
BUT HE LITTLE KNEW THE SORROW HE HAD BROUGHT ME,
WHEN HE HANDED ME A LETTER EDGED IN BLACK.
WITH TREMBLING HANDS I TOOK THIS LETTER FROM HIM,
I BROKE THE SEAL, AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAID.
'COME HOME, MY BOY, YOUR DEAR OLD FATHER WANTS YOU,
COME HOME, MY BOY, YOUR DEAR OLD MOTHER'S DEAD.'
I BOWED MY HEAD IN SORROW AND IN SADNESS,
THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE, IT ALL HAD FLED.
WHEN THE POSTMAN BROUGHT THE LETTER YESTERDAY MORNING.
SAYING, 'COME HOME, MY BOY, YOUR DEAR OLD MOTHER'S DEAD.
THE LAST WORDS YOUR MOTHER EVER UTTERED,
TELL MY BOY I WANT HIM TO COME BACK.
MY EYES ARE BLURRED, MY POOR OLD HEART IS BREAKING,
SO I'M WRITING YOU THIS LETTER EDGED IN BLACK.
FORGET THOSE ANGRY WORDS THAT WE HAD SPOKEN,
YOU KNOW I DIDN'T MEAN THEM, DON'T YOU, JACK.
MAY THE ANGELS BEAR AS WITNESS, I AM ASKING,
YOUR FORGIVENESS IN THIS LETTER EDGED IN BLACK.'
