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 miner's yard
Them miner's would yell loud and hard
And they'd dream of who would hold
The Van Lear rose

She was the belle of Johnson county
Ohio river to big sandy
A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal
All the miner's 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
Your dreaming boy, she'll never look your way
You'll never ever hold the Van Lear rose

She was the belle of Johnson county
Ohio river to big sandy
A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal
All the miner's they would gather 'round
Talk about the man that came to town
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose

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 brushed the hair back from my eyes and he'd say
Your mama, she's the Van Lear rose

She was the belle of Johnson county
Ohio river to big sandy
A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal
All the miner's they would gather 'round
Talk about the man that came to town
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear rose