Johnny Cash - Lorena Lyrics






The years creep slowly by, lorena,
The snow is on the grass again;
The sun's low down the sky, lorena,
The frost gleams where the flowers have been.
But my heart beats on as warmly now,
As when the summer days were nigh;
The sun can never dip so low,
Or down affections cloudless sky.

A hundred months have passed, lorena,
Since last I held that hand in mine,
And felt the pulse beat fast, lorena,
Though mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months, 'twas flowery may,
When up the hilly slope we climbed,
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bells chime.

We loved each other then, lorena,
More than we ever dared to tell;
And what we might have been, lorena,
Had but our lovings prospered well.
But then, 'tis past, the years are gone,
I'll not call up their shadowy forms;
I'll say to them, "lost years, sleep on!
Sleep on! nor heed life's pelting storms."

The story of that past, lorena,
Alas! I care not to repeat,
The hopes that could not last, lorena,
They lived, but only lived to cheat.
I would not cause e'en one regret
To rankle in your bosom now;
For "if we try, we may forget,"
Were words of thine long years ago.

Yes, these were words of thine, lorena,
They burn within my memory yet;
They touched some tender chords, lorena,
Which thrill and tremble with regret.
'twas not thy woman's heart that spoke;
Thy heart was always true to me:
A duty, stern and pressing, broke
The tie which linked my soul with thee.

It matters little now, lorena,
The past is in the eternal past;
Our heads will soon lie low, lorena,
Life's tide is ebbing out so fast.
There is a future! o, thank god!
Of life this is so small a part!
'tis dust to dust beneath the sod;
But there, up there, 'tis heart to heart.





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Johnny Cash Lorena Comments
  1. P.... S....

    who was the lord's friend that liked the 667th time? thanks

  2. B.... ....

    Lorrie Darling ,,,

  3. L.... ....

    the years creep slowly by, lorena,
    the snow is on the grass again;
    the sun's low down the sky, lorena,
    the frost gleams where the flowers have been.
    but my heart beats on as warmly now,
    as when the summer days were nigh;
    the sun can never dip so low,
    or down affections cloudless sky.

    a hundred months have passed, lorena,
    since last i held that hand in mine,
    and felt the pulse beat fast, lorena,
    though mine beat faster far than thine.
    a hundred months, 'twas flowery may,
    when up the hilly slope we climbed,
    to watch the dying of the day,
    and hear the distant church bells chime.

    we loved each other then, lorena,
    more than we ever dared to tell;
    and what we might have been, lorena,
    had but our lovings prospered well.
    but then, 'tis past, the years are gone,
    i'll not call up their shadowy forms;
    i'll say to them, "lost years, sleep on!
    sleep on! nor heed life's pelting storms."

    the story of that past, lorena,
    alas! i care not to repeat,
    the hopes that could not last, lorena,
    they lived, but only lived to cheat.
    i would not cause e'en one regret
    to rankle in your bosom now;
    for "if we try, we may forget, "
    were words of thine long years ago.

    yes, these were words of thine, lorena,
    they burn within my memory yet;
    they touched some tender chords, lorena,
    which thrill and tremble with regret.
    'twas not thy woman's heart that spoke;
    thy heart was always true to me:
    a duty, stern and pressing, broke
    the tie which linked my soul with thee.

    it matters little now, lorena,
    the past is in the eternal past;
    our heads will soon lie low, lorena,
    life's tide is ebbing out so fast.
    there is a future! o, thank god!
    of life this is so small a part!
    'tis dust to dust beneath the sod;
    but there, up there, 'tis heart to heart.

  4. S.... S....

    My grandmother in Virginia use to sing this song to me whenever she would beat me. She would reign blows down upon my head and back, even whacked the hell out of me with a baseball bat a few times. She wouldn't stop beating me until she finished singing the whole song. I was usually pretty black and blue by the time the song was over. I kept Trying to run away and she would catch me and say stay still and take your medicine. If I ran she beat me even harder. This song brings back a lot of memories.

  5. D.... E....

    He added some lyrics that were not in the original. I hate that shit. Why couldn't just sing the damned song?

  6. R.... H....

    Read dead redemption 2

  7. J.... B....

    The song was based on an ill-advised love affair that took place in Zanesville, Ohio in the late 1850s. The song has been sung in many Westerns/Civil War movies as well. John Ford sung the song as background in many of his movies. Today, a sight-seeing sternwheeler named Lorena (summer/fall) cruises on the Muskingum River in Ohio. My hometown!

    J.... B....

    Joby Butler that seems unlikely given that Lorena is a Spanish name, likely not found anywhere north of Texas

  8. L.... B....

    Lorina? Is LorEna

  9. s.... s....

    the same year of the Maiden voyage of the ss Rotterdam

  10. W.... L....

    This is definitelty the best version I have ever heard next to John Hartford.

  11. g.... ....

    Lorena was the favorite of both sides in the American civil war

  12. B.... A....

    The Name of my second Daughter is Lorena-Linda
    First Daughters Name is Loredana

  13. M.... M....

    I felt like hearing this old song and had know idea Johnny did it.

  14. M.... M....

    Pure Americana it's in our soul, forever.

  15. b.... ....

    The theme to this was used at the beginning of the John Wayne movie The Searchers.

    b.... ....

    I know I worked on the picture best western ever made john Wayne is one of the best men I've ever met and john ford

  16. L.... P....

    I never knew there was a song with my name! My name is Lorena Polazzi. I am of Italian descent but grew up in El Paso, Texas. I knew a few people there who had the name Lorena, but my name and theirs is pronounced Lorayna. I have heard others pronounce it like in this song, Loreena. This was written during the Civil War and apparently was loved by soldiers on both sides. They referred to it as the soldier's lullaby. Very haunting and bittersweet. Thank you for posting :)

    L.... P....

    A ministers lament to a parted love near Zanesville, Ohio!

    L.... P....

    My name is also Lorena (a family name of many generations) The funny thing is i wound up dating a johnny cash impersonator, so it was always interesting hearing this song. After several years we wound up parting ways just before he made a video for solitary man. Kind of strange how the music always seemed to line up with what was happening at the time. If he had made the video just days earlier the lyrics would not have been true. Were still friends but i will always miss having a song dedicated for me. I'm not used to meeting other Lorena's its not a very common name so i always take notice of others with the same name and spelling.

    L.... P....

    Bobby Bare does a good version, somewhere here on YouTube as well.
    While Lorana is *probably* a name by now, Lorena is the proper name & most people in the south like Texas with a thick accent would likely pronounce it “Lorayna”.
    Good tune tho

    L.... P....

    An Ohio native her first love was a minister but love vanished. Sad a lot of pathos.

  17. N.... J....

    One of my nurses here from the big island of Hawaii has the name Lorena mine is Laurie and I asked her about her name.  She told me many of her patients had told her that there is a love song about Lorena sung by Johnny Cash but many others have done this cover.  Wow what a beautiful song.

  18. L.... ....

    My name is Lorena

    L.... ....

    Woo me too

  19. P.... B....

    Did Mr. Bobbit dedicate this to his Mrs?

  20. M.... ....

    A incredible beautifull song. I love it... Just like "Lill Marlene" during ww2 in 1940ths wich both sides sang and listened to. "Lorena" was sung and listened to during American Civil War from soldiers fro both North and the South.

    M.... ....

    Both great song with even greater history behind them

  21. a.... ....

    My name lol

  22. A.... 1....

    I know I know

  23. M.... ....

    good song!

  24. f.... d....

    i've just found a song with my name ahhaha💙 (even with a different pronunciation)

  25. t.... ....

    UH - I knew of this song for many, many years  - but never heard it recorded this way/version.

  26. A.... T....

    Love this, i remember how i asked for this song, and you gave it to me !

  27. s.... ....

    This song is one of Johnnys classics.Was on the flip side of my first 45 record...."Johnny Yuma.The Rebel...Thanks for posting.