1.

(# 15 country hit)

Long Time Gone

Dave Dudley - Danny Morrison

© Southern Arts Music, BMI

I guess you think you broke my heart
But I don't mind that we're apart
As sure as there's another dawn
You can bet that I will be a long time gone

For every time you lied to me
I told myself that this can't be
I know I was completely wrong
You can bet that I will be a long time gone
[ dobro ]
My mind's been on you day and night
But now I finally saw the light
I'm gonna tell you now so long
You can bet that I will be a long time gone

Today I saw a mourning dove
And he was crying for his love
I'm sorry that he's all alone
But for me I'm glad I'll be a long time gone
But for me I'm glad I'll be a long time gone

**********

2.

Before My Time

Dave Dudley

© Southern Arts Music, BMI

Yes I know that I'm about to lose you
Cause someone else is always on your mind
Why must I have to give you up and give my heart up too
For a love that came along before my time

You say with me you think you've made a big mistake
Well good luck I hope your ending turns out fine
It's gonna hurt a long long time that's the price I'll pay
For a love that came along before my time

Well please don't blame me if I stay in love with you
And while I'm alone if I pretend that you're still mine
I can stand my loneliness if I know you're not blue
With a love that came along before my time
With a love that came along before my time

**********

3.

Back In Circulation

Tom T. Hall - Danny Morrison

© Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI

Got my heart patched up my goodnight sleep and my dancin' slippers on
I'm diggin' up where I left off when lovin' you went wrong
You'll notice I'm all smiles again and out of hibernation
Gonna hit those moonlit lanes again I'm back in circulation

Don't play the blues for me I want the sunny side of life
Tell all the gang to meet me here we're gonna swing the night
Hunt for ev'rything that's wet and start the celebration
Gonna have myself a ball tonight I'm back in circulation
[ guitar ]
Put my cryin' towel away sunshine just peeped through the clouds
Gettin' out my little black book checkin' upon my ole crowd
Tell Mr Moon to shine tonight and make this observation
I just bounced back from bein' hurt and I'm back in circulation

Don't play the blues for me I want the sunny side of life...

**********

4.

I've Been Through The Mill

Tom T. Hall

© Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI

Oh I'm so surprised to see me here sittin' all alone
It's late and everybody's gone to their respective homes
I could go home I should go home but it's so dark and still
Well look at me I'm looking back oh I have been through the mill

I've been through the mill oh ain't I I have been through the mill
The hunter is now hunted and time moves in for the kill
Oh stranger do pull up a chair and listen if you will
It's purely biographical but I have been through the mill

There was a time I'd come in here and the folks would wave and smile
Do you remember what's her name ah she was such a lovely child
But times will change and towns will change oh you know how they will
Oh look at me I'm looking back and I have been through the mill
Oh look at me I'm looking back and I have been through the mill

**********

5.

Artificial Rose

Tom T. Hall

© Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI

The little waitress wore an artificial rose
I met her in a truckstop long ago
She brought my coffee with a smile and then sat down
And we started talkin' bout my wanderin' round

I recall the night I gave her that red rose
Just a little joke between us I suppose
But she laughed and tucked it in her golden hair
And from that day on she always wore it there

Never blooms never grows
Artificial rose

As time went out I got to know her well
Grew to love her but I knew I couldn't tell
About the other woman farther down the line
But she trusted me said I was not that kind

Never blooms never grows
Artificial rose

One night when I had traveled many miles
I pulled in and thought I'd see her loving smile
But she only left a package tied in red
And inside a little tear stained note that read

She said I've found out now I return to you
This rose that I've been wearin' like a fool
May your life be cold and lonely as can be
Like this artificial rose you gave to me

Never blooms never grows
Artificial rose

**********

6.

Katy Bar The Door

Jerry Shook

© Careers Music, BMI

Oh Katy bar the door keep the girls in the house
Cause I'm gonna live it up there ain't no doubt
Katy bar the door I'm a man not a mouse
So look out pretty girls it's my night out

Well all week long I work at the mill
From sunup to sundown ev'ryday
Well at noon on Saturday ev'rything stands still
And I'm halfway to town when I get my pay

So Katy bar the door keep the girls in the house...
[ dobro ]
Before this night is over in troubles where I'll be
I'll be you-know-what-on-wheels you might say
I'll try to drink the town up and I may do it watch and see
If not I'll get it done next Saturday

So Katy bar the door keep the girls in the house...
So Katy bar the door keep the girls in the house...

**********

7.

Passin' Through

Bobby Bare

© Central Songs, BMI

The first sound I heard was a woman's cry
The first word I learned to utter was goodbye
Forgive me if I'm wrong in what I do to you
While passin' through passin' through

A happiness for me cannot be found
But yet I still search from town to town
No offence but I don't think I'll find it here with you
Goodbye babe just passin' through

Passin' through your life like a raging river
No woman needs or can hold the love I give her
Please understand I can't control these things I do
While passin' through passin' through

Well what was that did you say you thought you loved me
Well that's too bad girl for if you really do
You'll just awaken with the dawn and find your love has flown
Like an old wild goose passin' through

Passin' through your life like a raging river...

Like an old North wind passin' through
Goodbye babe just passin' through
Goodbye babe just passin' through

**********

8.

For Crying Out Loud

Dave Dudley

© Southern Arts Music, BMI

If I've ever been so blue I can't remember
Seems to me the walls are closing in
I still hear your footsteps fade away forever
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again

There's nothing like a room that's filled with blackness
And without you here it's blacker than it's been
You said goodbye as if you couldn't careless
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again

Staring at the red end of my cigarette
Where in the darkness two had always been
Now the hurt grows worse each night I'm trying to forget
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again

**********

9.

Ring Of Fire

Merle Kilgore - June Carter

© Painted Desert Music, BMI

Oh love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down down down and the flames went higher
And it burns burns burns
The ring of fire the ring of fire
[ dobro ]
The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh but the fire went wild

I fell into a burning ring of fire...
I fell into a burning ring of fire...
The ring of fire

**********

10.

Lonely Man

Tom T. Hall

© Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI

From the dark and lonely part of town
Comes a man nobody wants around
Dressed in black I cry across the land
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man

I am lonely man lonely and blue
You'll never know I never did get over you
My longing for you is the best kept secret in the land
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man

Nobody knows my true identity
They'll never know how much you're hurting me
A smile is my disguise and that's my plan
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man

I am lonely man lonely and blue...
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man

**********

11.

River Rat

Roy Baham

© Southern Arts Music, BMI

I was born on the banks of the river grew up in a floatin' shack
Old Man River was my front yard we had snakes and frogs out back
I learned to cry to a steamboat whistle I cut my teets on a pal of a cat
From this big star just to make my mark
I had to fight like a river rat I'm nothin' but a river rat

Grab that net catch that fish it's all I've ever known
Trap that otter don't you miss I'll gear in the great alone
With the temper of a stepped on rattler and the gall of a mean wild cat
Well the strong survive and just to stay alive
You gotta fight like a river rat I'm a meaner than a river rat
[ guitar ]
I had me a woman down the river she had eyes for me alone
She was here last night but like drift wood with the mornin' tide she was gone
To the night like the great Big Muddy was runnin' wild as blind as a bat
My dream was sank when it went over the bank
It drawned all the river rats and I was runnin' like a river rat

Grab that net catch that fish it's all I've ever known...
I'm nothin' but a river rat I'm a meaner than a river rat

**********

12.

I Feel A Cry Coming On

Jimmy Key

© Southern Arts Music, BMI

Oh she just walked out the door
And I know she won't be back anymore
The echo of her footsteps have gone
And now I feel a cry comin' on

Yes I feel a cry comin' on
For the first time in my life I'm all alone
Everything I love is gone
And now I feel a cry comin' on

Her picture on the table smiles at me
The sweet tender love is there to see
Yesterday that sweet love was my own
But now I feel a cry comin' on

Yes I feel a cry comin' on...

**********