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(Kris Kristofferson)
I was a stumble bummin' down the neon Music City sidewalks
With the Junkie and the Juicehead who had problems of their own
Stuck with luck it kept me standin' just a step away from starvin'
And the talent that I swore I'd show before I'd go back home
Ninety days I looked the army makin' neither love nor money
And my only set of clothes was gettin' closer to the bone
And the Junkie placed an order with the Prophet on the corner
And he told him of the soul that he'd been sellin' for a song
He said my future was my fortune but I let it slip away
Slowly smokin' myself broke on eighty cigarettes a day
Findin' out that crime ain't all there is that doesn't pay
And writin' words that no one's gonna see but did you said it who said it
I can read my fortune in the bottom of a glass
And I can see it's time for me to make my last request
Won't you fill my grave with whiskey when I'm laid away to rest
So the boys can say I drank myself to dead
Well I drank the whole thing over puttin' one and two together
And it added up to more of what I didn't want to be
I ain't blamin' Music City but it's only gonna see me
One more day and the wake up and the time it takes to leave
Cause I got a dirty picture of what could have been my future
In a Prophet pushin' day dreams on a corner for a fee
And the wino lookin' lonely at a bottle gettin' empty
And a hungry lookin' junkie huntin' tea in sympathy
And I bet that junkie's laughin' after the life he threw away
Slowly smokin' himself broke on eighty cigarettes a day
Pleadin' down the Prophet to a price that he can pay
And writin' words that no one's gonna see but did you said it who said it
Every empty bottle is my private crystal ball
And starin' into the future findin' nothin' there at all
Which is what I'll miss tomorrow when the neon shadows fall
. . .
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A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm
A boy filled with wonderlust who really meant no harm
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
And combed his dark hair down
And his mother cried as he walked out
Chorus
Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town
He laughed and kissed his mom
And said your Billy Joe's a man
I can shoot as quick and straight as anybody can
But I wouldn't shoot without a cause
I'd gun nobody down
But she cried again as he rode away
Chorus
Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town
He sang a song as on he rode
His guns hung at his hips
He rode into a cattle town
A smile upon his lips
He stopped and walked into a bar
And laid his money down
But his mother's words echoed again
Chorus
Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town
He drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand
And tried to tell himself he had become a man
A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down
And he heard again his mothers words
Chorus
Don't take you2 guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town
Filled with rage then
Billy Joe reached for his gun to draw
But the stranger drew his gun and fired
Before he even saw
As Billy Joe fell to the floor
The crowd all gathered 'round
And wondered at his final words
Chorus
Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town
. . .
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(Kris Kristofferson)
[ Rosanne Cash ]
Got a song about the sister waitin' somewhere by the phone
For some man who never missed her ever since he come and gone
Ain't it's harder for a woman with a baby on her way
That's the price of being human when you're poor enough to pay
And she listen to the freedom in the silence at her door
No one missin' when you need 'em there ain't no fun to sing that song no more
Got a song about a saviour looking lonesome and afraid
At a city full of strangers and a cross he never made
And he's sadder than he's wiser and a longer way from home
And he wonders why his father left him bleeding and alone
Just a broken song of freedom and the closing of a door
No one's missin' till you need 'em there ain't no fun to sing that song no more
. . .
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(Johnny Cash)
I do believe that I won't make it through the night
If you don't come on back to me and love me now
There ain't no way that I can say that it's all right
I do believe that you're not thinking anyhow
But I believe if you'll remember how it was a little while
If you'll recall that what we had was hard to beat
And I believe that if you'll meet me half way down that second mile
We will trade in all the bitter for the sweet
I do believe that you're not happy without me
I think you feel the way I'm feeling without you
Come on and give in to that feeling one more time
I do believe you won't regret it if you do
[ ac.guitar ]
. . .
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(Howard Hausey - Eddie Manney)
(with June Carter and Family)
High on the mountain what do I see
There's bear tracks bear tracks lookin' back at me
You better get your rifle boys before it's too late
That bear's got a little pig and headed for the gate
He's bigger around the middle and he's broad across the rump
Runnin' ninety miles an hour takin' forty feet jumps
Ain't never been caught he ain't never been treat
Some folks say he looks a lot like me
[ banjo ]
Well I got me some money and I got me some bees
And they started makin' honey way up in the trees
I chopped down the trees cause my honey's all gone
Old Slew foot's done made himself at home
He's bigger around the middle...
Some folks say he looks a lot like daddy
[ banjo ]
Winter's comin' on and it's forty below
The river's frozen over so where can he go
I'd get me a rifle boys and run him in the well
Then I shoot him in the bottom just to hear him yell
He's bigger around the middle...
. . .
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(A.P. Carter)
(with June Carter and the Family)
There's a dark and a trouble side of life there's a bright and a sunny side too
Though we meet with the darkness and strife the sunny side we also may view
Keep on the sunny side always on the sunny side keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us everyday it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life
Let us greed with a song of hope each day though the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust at the Saviour always will keep us everyone in his care
Keep on the sunny side...
Oh the storm in its fury broke today crushing hopes that I cherish so dear
Storms and clouds will in time pass away and the sun again will shine bright and
clear
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(Cat Stevens)
[ with Rosey Nix ]
It's not time to make a change just relax and take it easy
You're still young that's your fault there's so much you have to know
Find a boy settle down and if you want you can marry
Look at me gettin' old but I'm happy
I was once like you are now and I know that it's not easy
To be calm when you found somethin' going on
But take your time think a lot why think of every thing you've got
For you'll still be here tomorrow but your dreams may not
How can I try to explain cause when I do he turns away again
And it's always been the same same old story
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away
It's not time to make a change just sit down and take it slowly
You're still young that's your fault there's so much you have to go through
Find a boy settle down and if you want you can marry
Look at me gettin' old but I'm happy
All the times that I have cried keeping all the things I knew inside
It's hard but it's harder to ignore it (oh stay)
If they were right I'd agree but it's them that know not me
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away I know I have to go away
. . .
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(Johnny Cash)
Ordained for proclaimin' the gospel of Jesus
The great super preachers go crusadin' on
And the people all gather in big congregations
They hear of the Saviour who came to atone
And they kneel at the altar and they walk away happy
Then the devil starts gossip about money and sex
Makin' it hard on the good men of God like Billy and Bob and Oral and Rex
Old Billy Sunday is dead and gone young Jim Robertson's comin' on strong
And Billy and Rex and Oral and Bob are talkin' about Jesus and doin' their job
Millions of people tune in Katherine Coolman
And see her face shine with an unearthly light
Garner Ted warns of the world of tomorrow
But they criticized him and the reverend died
Cause the devil is after the great super preachers
He'd try to discredit the gospel they bring
But Billy and Rex and Oral and Bob hold to their commitment to Jesus the King
Old Billy Sunday is dead and gone young Tommy Barnett is comin' on strong
And Billy and Rex and Oral and Rex are talkin' about Jesus and doin' their job
Old Billy Sunday is dead and gone young Jimmy Snow is comin' on strong
. . .
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(Jack Wesley Routh)
This boxcar's been my home since St Antone
Cause this ankle of mine I turned while hoppin' on
Shoots pain that feeds my dreams with luxuries
I see crystal chandeliers and burgundy
I can feel my mother's heartbeat from the track
It's the rhythm of a son that won't be back
Lord knows where my mind is takin' me
I see crystal chandeliers and burgundy
If that conductor only knew all the trouble I've been through
Just to be here on this train once again
Freedom of a hobo ain't so bad you can dream of all the wealth you might've had
I guess livin' on this train is gettin' to me I see crystal chandeliers and
burgundy
[ guitar ]
If that conductor only knew all the trouble I've been through
Just to be here on this train once again
If there's nothing in this world I've gotta do
But to ride these rails of steel my whole life through
Then take away these visions that I see of crystal chandeliers and burgundy
. . .
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(L.F. Hutchins)
(with June Carter)
Now you know and I know I'm not the man I used to be any more
And you don't see me hanging round downtown like you could before
Cause one day upon my knees I found what I'd never had before
I found Jesus I found my Lord
And now I sing a harmony like I never ever knew the word before
J-e-s-u-s E everlasting love is Jesus
S for soul set free U for you and me S the son of God who died upon the tree
One day a man came up to me said son you've got to change or you won't last
I thought it over what he said saw deep inside the shadows of my past
A still small voice then spoke to me my heart beat like it never had before
And I found Jesus I found my Lord
And now I sing a harmony...
. . .
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(Jack Wesley Routh)
Well my saddle's on my horse but I ain't goin' nowhere
Cause my ridin' days are over and there's vultures in the air
Well the trails have been a brother and a devil all in one
I'm gonna lay back with my woman throw away my fightin' guns
Well I spent many lonely evenings listenin' to the howl of the wolfe
Talk about her like a loved one did you ever kiss a horses' hoof
They keep puttin' up all them fences to section up the country mile
I'm gonna lay back with my woman and take it easy for a while
[ banjo ]
Yes there's danger on the prairie there's rattlesnakes that bite
In every little town you come to there's always a good old fight
Well there's nothin' like his and her place I wouldn't say it if I didn't know
I'm gonna lay back with my woman and love her sweet country soul
Well you see her arms are ready and the kitchen's full of food
She's got a smile that's pretty but then it all looks kinda good
Can you blame a guy for thinkin' he'd be crazy to hit the trail
I'm gonna lay back with my woman and put my horses up for sale
. . .
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