Prologue: The Old Red Hills of Home

Farewell, my Lila I'll write every evening I've carved our names In the trunk of this tree Farewell, my Lila I miss you already And dream of the day When I'll hold you again In a home safe from fear When the Southland is free I go to fight for these old hills behind me These Old Red Hills of Home I go to fight, for these old hills remind me Of a way of life that's pure Of the truth that must endure In a town called Marietta In the Old Red Hills of Home Pray on this day as I journey beyond them These Old Red Hills of Home Let all the blood of the North spill upon them 'Till they've paid for what they've wrought Taken back the lies they've taught And there's peace in Marietta And we're safe again in Georgia In the land where Honor lives and breathes The Old Red Hills of Home Farewell, my Lila Farewell Look there, My Lila They call me to tell it The lives that we led When the Southland was free We gave our lives for the old hills of Georgia The Old Red Hills of Home Not much survives of the old hills of Georgia But I close my eyes and hear All the treasures we held dear The rushing of the Chattahoochie (The tall pines and the red clay) The rustling in the wind (The blue skies and the dogwood trees) And Mama in the kitchen singin' (A man can grow his cotton) And me and Lila swinging in a tree (And his crops) Oh I hear it calling, calling Still! And I would gladly give My good right leg Again Again! (Again!) God Bless the sight Of the old hills of Georgia The Old Red Hills of Home (Kneel Down to) Praise those who'd fight For the Old Hills of Georgia For those proud and valiant men We'll sing "Dixie" once again For the men of Marrietta For the the brothers of Cobb County For the fathers of Atlanta For the patriarchs Who gave everything for Georgia And the Old Red Hills of Home!