Gone Away With a Friend
Artist: Ralph Stanley

I looked into the face of an old saint of God,
I thought your race has ended, your lifes crown you've won,
Seperated for the present, but soon to live again,
And he's only gone away with a friend,

Chorus:
Gone away with a friend, someone closer than a brother
with somebody who loves you more than children, dad or mother
And he holds your very soul in the palm of his hand
Let it read on my tombstone, gone away with a friend.

He's a constant companion through life's joy and pain,
All my hopes and cares I hold in his dear name
And when my soul breaks free from these ties that hold me here
I'm going away with Jesus no other friend so dear

Chorus

https://www.bluegrassnet.com/lyrics/gon ... nTQdK6nFEY

Though there are many renditions on youtube, I especially enjoyed this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMTMi-7EGVY

Verse 1:
I looked into the face of an old saint of God
I thought he'd raise and he did
His life crown he'd won
Separated for the present, but soon to live again
He's only gone away with a friend

Chorus:
Gone away with a friend
Someone closer than a brother
Someone who loves you more then children, dad, or mother
He holds you very close in the palm of his hand
Let it read on my tombstone "Gone Away With a Friend"

Verse 2:
Now he's my constant companion
Through life's joy and life's pain
All my hopes and my tears
I hold in his dear name
And when my soul breathes free from the ties that bind me here
I'm going away with Jesus
No greater friend so dear

Chorus

Gone away with a friend

Verse I
I looked into the face of an old saint of God, I thought your race
and he did your life's crown he won. Separated for the present but soon to
live again she's only gone away with a friend.

Chorus
Gone away with a friend, someone closer than a brother, someone who loves you
more than children, dad, or mother he holds your very soul in the palm of his
hand, let it read on my tomb stone, gone away with a friend.

Verse II
Now He's my constant companion, through life's joys and life's pains all my
hopes and my tears, I hold in His dear name.
And when my soul breathes free from the ties that bind me here
I'm going away with Jesus, no greater friend so dear.

Chorus

here is how it is wrote in the baptist songbook

Gone away with a friend

Verse I
As I looked into the face of an old saint of God,
I thought he raised and he did.
Separated for the present but soon to meet again and he's only gone away with a friend.

Chorus
Gone away with a friend,
someone closer than a brother,
someone who loves me more than children, dad, or mother
he holds my very soul in the palm of his hand, let it read on my tomb stone, gone away with a friend.

2nd verse
" now he's my constant companion,
through life's joy and pain all my hopes and my tears i hold in his dear name,
And when my soul breaks free from the ties that hold me here gone
away with Jesus, no greater friend so dear.

there is a totally incredible version of this song on youtube sung by a real baptist minister. look up 'ralph stanley hills of home'.

I've been singing this song for over 30 years now; I know the author of the song personally; in correction to the version listed..it was originally penned

Gone away with a friend

Verse I
As I looked down into the face of an old saint of God, I thought your race is over your life's crown is won. Separated for the present but soon to meet again and he's(she's) only gone away with a friend.

Chorus
Gone away with a friend, someone closer than a brother, with somebody who loves me more than children, dad, or mother and he holds my very soul in the palm of his hand, let it read on my tomb stone, gone away with a friend.

2nd verse " A constant companion, through life's joy and pain all my hopes and all my dreams, I trust to your dear name. And when my soul breaks free from the ties that hold me here gone away with Jesus, no other friend so dear.

Thanks for your help. Just what I needed.

Gone away with a friend

Verse I
I looked into the face of an old saint of God, I thought your race is finished your life's crown is won. Separated for the present but soon to live again he's only gone away with a friend.

Chorus
Gone away with a friend, someone closer than a brother, someone who loves you more than children, dad, or mother he holds your very soul in the palm of his hand, let it read on my tomb stone, gone away with a friend.

Verse II
Now He's my constant companion, through life's joys and life's pains all my hopes and my fears, I hold in His dear name.
And when my soul breathes free from the ties that bind me here
I'm going away with Jesus, no other friend so dear.

Chorus

I believe the second verse goes:

Now He's my constant companion, through life's joys and life's pains
All my hopes and my fears, I hold in His dear name.
And when my soul breathes free from the ties that bind me here
I'll be gone away with Jesus, no other friend so dear.

Anyway, that's Ralph Stanley's version