One of my fondest memories
Was sittin' on my daddy's knee
Listenin' to the stories that he told
He'd pull out that old photograph
Like a treasured memory from the past
And say child
This here's the Van Lear Rose

Oh how it would bring a smile
When he talked about her big blue eyes
And how her beauty ran down to her soul
She'd walk across the coal miners' yard
Them miners would yell loud and hard
and they'd dream of who would hold
The Van Lear Rose
 [bad word] )
She was the belle of Johnson County
Ohio river to Big Sandy
beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal
All the miners they would gather 'round
Talk about the man that came to town
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose

Now the Van Lear Rose could've had her pick
And all the fellers figured rich
Until this poor boy caught her eye
His buddies would all laugh and say
You're dreamin' boy she'll never look your way
You'll never ever hold the Van Lear Rose
 [bad word] 

Then one night in mid July
Underneath that ol' blue Kentucky sky
Well, that poor boy won that beauty's heart
Then my daddy would look at my mommy and smile
As he [bad word] the hair back from my eyes and he'd say
Your mama
She's the Van Lear Rose
 [bad word] 

Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose