THE BEST
(Ashley AYS-54001) '70
October/1970
Produced by Leon Ashley
1.
BRACE UP AND FACE IT
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '70 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
When the hands of the workman tumble down these walls of stone
That stood so many years to shield the treasures of our home
When Jim and John and Mary Lou all grown up and gone
Brace up and face it God grants you the strength to take it
You're gonna have to make it you're gonna have to face it
You're gonna have to make it all alone
you're gonna have to make it on your own
Every first must have it lasts but the span between be long
And if desire should come for me before that marble stone
Don't think of how I left you girl cause when you're gone you're gone
Brace up and face it God grants you the strength to take it
You're gonna have to make it you'e gonna have to face it
You're gonna have to make it all alone
You're gonna have to make it on your own
When the green grass grows and the spring wind blows
And the soft clouds tease the sun
If youthful hands should spark romance in weaker will that's strong
Don't shed a tear or blame yourself or try to right my wrong
Brace up and face it God grants you the strength to take it
You're gonna have to make it you'e gonna have to face it
You're gonna have to make it all alone
You're gonna have to make it on your own
**********
2.
LAURA (WHAT HE'S GOT THAT I AIN'T GOT)
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '67 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
Laura hold these hands and count my fingers
Laura touch these lips you once desired
Lay your head upon my chest hear my heart beat
Gently run your fingers through my hair
Touch these ears that's listened to your wishes
Most of them fullfilled and that's a lot
Let your soft gentle hands caress my body
Then tell me what he's got that I ain't got
Tell me what he's got I can't give you
Must be something I was born without
You took an awful chance to be with another man
So tell me what he's got that I ain't got
Laura see these walls that I built for you
Laura see this carpet that I layed
See those fancy curtains on the windows
Touch those satin pillows on your bed
Laura count the dresses in your closet
Note the name upon the checkbook in your bag
And if there's time before I pull this trigger
Then tell me what he's got that I ain't got
Tell me what he's got I can't give you
Must be something I was born without
And if there's time before I pull this trigger
Then tell me what he's got that I ain't got
Laura tell me what he's got that I ain't got
**********
3.
MENTAL JOURNEY
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
If I've ever planted flowers in your garden
Or my feet walked across your bedroom floor
Don't be surprised if I'd break the silence of the night
With a knock upon your door
I'm just taking mental journey
And my thoughts may wander back from time to time
Don't be alarmed cause I mean you no harm
I'm just walking with the mem'ries of my mind
When loneliness surrounds me and my future is my past
I escape into my dreams
I carefully choose in mem'ries from the medals of my past
That once were green and once again
I'm just taking mental journey...
I'm just taking mental journey...
**********
4.
FLOWER OF LOVE
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
Well that ain't a gonna be as long as it has been
I got a feelin' that me and love are in tune
And that ain't a gonna be as long as it has been
Some wilt the flower of love that's waitin' to bloom
Sunshine and laughter just over the hill all I got to do is fly
Someone is waitin' true love to give just over on the other side
And that ain't a gonna be as long as it has been...
[ dobro ]
Sunshine and laughter just over the hill...
And that ain't a gonna be as long as it has been...
Some wilt the flower of love that's waitin' to bloom
**********
5.
SHE STILL COMES AROUND (TO LOVE WHAT'S LEFT OF ME)
(Glenn Sutton)
« © '68 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
I know I'm not a perfect husband although I'd like to be
But payday nights and those painted women they do strange things to me
But then when the party's over and the good is all she sees
Though I let her down she still comes around just to love what's left of me
Six days out of seven I work hard at doing right
But believe me you could set your watch on any Friday night
But then I'm lucky she understands and the fool that lives in me
Though I let her down she still comes around to love what's left of me
The way I'm living it's a wonder she can take it
But that woman she's got a heart of gold it's justing me to break it
I know I don't deserve her but I'm thankful as can be
And though I let her down she still comes around just to love what's left of me
And though I let her down she still comes around just to love what's left of me
**********
6.
WHILE YOUR LOVE STEPS
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton - Buddy Mize)
« © '70 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
Raise your head from the pillow turn back the soft linen sheets
Let the carpet on the floor give silence to the sound of your feet
As you walk past the mirror in your thin neglige
Pick up the brush from the dresser brush you hair back in place
Then look out the window toward the garden
And recall all those memories we've sown
Pick up your wrinkled dress leave your shame behind
While your lover sleeps come on home
While your lover sleeps come on home
Look out the window toward the garden...
**********
7.
IT'S ALL OVER BUT THE CRYING
(Hank Williams Jr)
« © '67 Hastings Catalog »
It seems that you've changed just in these past few days
For when I try to kiss you you just push me away
Now I don't know what's wrong I don't see how I'll go on
I think your love for me is dying and it's all over but the crying
I called you on the phone just to find out what was wrong
And the things you said made my suspicions real
You said tonight again you had to stay with that sick friend
But that story I just ain't buying cause it's all over but the crying
It's all over but the crying
I never would have thought that you'd be lying
Well it sounded so true when you said dear I love you
Now I'll see it's goodbying cause all is over but the crying
It's all over but the crying
**********
8.
WALKING BACK TO BIRMINGHAM
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '67 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
Got my shoes from the Salvation Army
Got my hat from a kind hearted friend
Hocked my watch at a pawn shop in Buffalo
For a bottle of wine and a flea bitten bed
When the sun comes up in the morning
And the wine in my bottle goes down
Put my shoes on my feet and my hat on my head
And go walking back to Birmingham
Got a three acre farm and a catfish pond
And a smoke house filled with country ham
Well this thousand miles of road won't seem too far to go
Cause I'm walking back to Birmingham
When the sun comes up in the morning...
And go walking back to Birmingham
I go walking back to Birmingham
Walking back to Birmingham
**********
9.
ANNA I'M TAKING YOU HOME
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '67 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
Anna take off that tight fittin' dress
Take off those cheep looking shoes from your feet
Wash that paint and powder from your face
Cause Anna I'm taking you home
Turn out the scarlet light in your window
That tells the world the kind of girl you've become
I'm taking you back where there's folks that love you
Anna I'm taking you home
There's eighteen acres of cotton to hoe
A field of corn that I've got to plow
But I need my woman when the day of work is done
So Anna I'm taking you home
Turn out the scarlet light in your window...
Anna I'm taking you home Anna I'm taking you home
**********
10.
WHAT IS TO BE WILL BE
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '70 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
There's a lots of things in life that I can change
So I finally taught my mind not to try
I'm happy in the sunshine or the rain
And what is to be will be by and by
If she's gonna love me she's gonna love me
If she's gonna leave me she's gonna go
If she's gonna love me she's gonna love me
And I ain't gonna worry ain't gonna worry anymore
Cause what is to be will be by and by
[ guitar ]
If she's gonna love me she's gonna love me...
Yeah what is to be will be by and by
**********
11.
WITH THE HELP OF THE WINE
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '67 Ashmar Music, BMI »
Tonight I leave my past at the door of a barroom
Inside I just fell one of the crowd
The failure that surrounds me becomes success inside
I can be the man I wanna be with the help of the wine
With the help of the wine and the barroom crowd
The jukebox's playing loud to my last dime
The failure that surrounds me becomes success inside
I can be the man I wanna be with the help of the wine
[ steel ]
With the help of the wine...
I can be the man I wanna be with the help of the wine
**********