Tuesday, October 27, 2009


OLD FIVE AND DIMERS (LIKE ME)
(Billy Joe Shaver)

I've spent the lifetime 
Making up my mind to be
More than the measure 
Of what I thought others could see
Good luck and fast bucks 
Are too far and too few between
Catalogue buyers and old five and dimers like me

She stood beside me 
Letting me know she would be
Something to lean on 
When everything ran out on me
Fenced yards ain't hole cards 
And like is not never will be
Reason for rhymers and old five and dimers like me

It's taking me so long 
And now that I know I believe
All that I do or say 
Is all I ever will be
Too far and too high 
And too deep ain't too much to be
Too much ain't enough for old five and dimers like me

Yeah, an old five and dimer is all I really meant to be


Monday, October 26, 2009


HOMECOMING
(Tom T. Hall)



I guess I should've written, Dad
To let you know that I was coming home
I've been gone so many years
I didn't realize you had a phone
I saw your cattle coming in
Boy, they're looking mighty fat and slick
I saw Fred at the service station
He told me that his wife is awful sick

You heard my record on the radio
Oh, well, it's just another song
But I've got a hit recorded
It'll be out on the market before too long
I got this ring in Mexico
And no, it didn't cost me quite a bunch
When you're in the business that I'm in
The people call it putting up a front

I know I've lost a little weight
I guess I'm looking kind of pale
If you didn't know me better, Dad
You'd think that I'd just gotten out of jail
No, we don't ever call them beer joints
Night clubs are the places that I work
You meet a lot of people there
But no, there ain't much chance of getting hurt

I'm sorry that I couldn't be here with you all
When Momma passed away
I was on the road and when they came and told me
It was just too late
I drove by the grave to see her
Boy, that really is a pretty stone
I'm glad that Fred and Jan are here
It's better than you being here alone

Well, I knew you's gonna ask me
Who the lady is that's sleeping in the car
That's just a girl who works for me
And, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar
We worked in San Antone last night
She didn't even have the time to dress
She drove me down from Nashville
And to tell the truth I guess she needs the rest

Well, Dad, I gotta go
We got a dance to work in Cartersville tonight
Let me take your number down
I'll call you, and I promise you I'll write
Now, you be good and don't be chasing
All those pretty women that you know
And by the way, if you see Barbara Walker
Tell her that I said Hello





WHEN I STOP DREAMING
(Charlie & Ira Louvin)

The worst that I've ever been hurt in my life
The first time I ever wanted to die
Was the night when you told me you loved someone new
And asked me if I could forget

When I stop dreaming
That's when I'll stop loving you

I'd be like a flower unwanted in spring
Alone and neglected, transplanted in vain
To a garden of sadness where its pedals will fall
In the shadow of undying pain

You can teach the flowers to bloom in the snow
You may take a pebble and teach it to grow
You can teach all the raindrops to return to the clouds
But you can't teach my heart to forget

When I stop dreaming
That's when I'll stop loving you


Sunday, October 25, 2009


LONELY STREET
(Belew, Sowder, Stevenson)

I'm looking for that lonely street
I've got a sad, sad tale to tell
I need a place to go and weep
Where's this place called lonely street?

A place where there's just loneliness
Where dim lights bring forgetfulness
Where broken dreams and memories meet
Where's this place called lonely street?

Maybe on this lonely street
There's someone such as I
Who came to bury broken dreams
And watch an old love die

A place where there's just loneliness
Where dim lights bring forgetfulness
Where broken dreams and mem'ries meet
Where's this place called lonely street?


Saturday, October 24, 2009


 I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS
(Floyd Tillman)

I love you so much it hurts me
Darlin', that's why I'm so blue
I'm afraid to go to bed at night
Afraid of losing you

I love you so much it hurts me
And there's nothing I can do
I want to hold you my dear, forever and ever
I love you so much it hurts so

I want to hold you my dear, forever and ever
I love you so much it hurts so





Saturday, October 17, 2009


DO-WACKA-DO                                                                               (Roger Miller)
I hear tell you’re doin’ well
Good thing have come to you
I wish I had your happiness
And you had a do-wacka-do
Wacka do, wacka-do, wacka-do

They tell me you’re runnin’ free
Your days are never blue
I wish I had your good-luck charm
And you had a do-wacka-do
Wacka do, wacka-do, wacka-do

Yeah, I see you’re goin’ down the street
In your big Cadillac
You got girls in the front, you got girls in the back
Yeah, way in back, you got money in a sack
Both hands on the wheel
And your shoulders rared back
Root-doot-doot-doot-doot, do-wah

I hear tell you’re doin’ well,
Good things have come to you.
I wish I had your happiness
And you had a do-wacka-do,
Wacka do, wacka-do, wacka-do

Tuesday, October 13, 2009


THAT'S HOW I GOT TO MEMPHIS 
                             (Tom T. Hall)

If you love somebody enough
You'll follow wherever they go
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

If you love somebody enough
You'll go where your heart wants to go
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

I know if you'd seen her you'd tell me 'cause you are my friend
I've got to find her and find out the trouble she's in

If you tell me that she's not here
I'll follow the trail of her tears
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

She would get mad and she used to say
That she'd come back to Memphis someday
That's how I got to Memphis
That's How I Got to Memphis

I haven't eaten a bite
Or slept for three days and nights
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

I've got to find her and tell her that I love her so
I'll never rest 'til I find out why she had to go

Thank you for your precious time
Forgive me if I start to cryin'
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis


SUGAR COATED PILL
                  (Cartwright-Lilien)

I knew it had to come
And now I know it's here
Now I know that I've lost you
At least I'm free from fear
But do me one last favor
Don't be too honest, dear
Let me down easy
And I'll hold back my tears

Say you love me still
Say it's just until
Say one day we will
And baby, don't you know
That I will swallow whole
Every sugar coated pill

I recognize the look
You're wearing in your eye
Last time I wore that look
I made somebody cry
So when you break it to me
Go right ahead and lie
Let me down easy
'Cause I've been riding high

Say you love me still
Say it's just until
Say one day we will
And baby, don't you know
That I will swallow whole
Every sugar coated pill