ODE TO BILLIE JOE
(Hilltop JS-6066)
1969
Produced by Leon Ashley
1.
ODE TO BILLIE JOE
(Bobbie Gentry)
« © '67 Northridge Music, ASCAP »
[ Margie Singleton ]
It was the third of June another sleepy dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was bailin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And mama hollered at the backdoor y'all remember to wipe your feet
And then she said I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Wridge
Today Billie Joe Macallister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Papa said to mama as he passed around the black eyed peas
Well Billie Joe never had a lick of sense pass the biscuits please
There's few more acres in the lower forty I got to plow
And mama said it was a shame about Billie Joe anyhow
It seems like nothing ever comes to no good upon Choctaw Wridge
And now Billie Joe Macallister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Caroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night
I'll have another piece of apple pie you know it don't seem right
I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Wridge
And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Mama said to me child what's happened to your apetite
I've been cookin' all mornin' and you haven't touched a single bite
That nice young preacher brother Tailor dropped by today
And he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday oh by the way
He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you upon Choctaw Wridge
And she and Billie Joe was throwin' somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge
A year has come and gone since we heard the news about Billie Joe
My brother married Becky Thompson and they bought a store in Tupelo
There was a virus goin' round papa caught it and he died last spring
And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything
And me I spent a lot of time pickin' flowers upon Chotaw Wridge
And dropped 'em into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
**********
2.
FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley & Margie Singleton ]
It's almost four o'clock in the morning
Soon the sun will light this darkness where we hide
We've just a little time to prepere our minds
What a heck of the way we live our lives
Living with her loving with you
What excuses are we gonna use this time
Living with him loving with you
What a heck of the way we live our lives
[ strings ]
I don't think I can stand it any longer
Living on the wrong the wrong side of
What seems right tonight seems wrong tomorrow
What a heck of the way we live our lives
Living with her loving with you...
What a heck of the way we live our lives
**********
3.
PETAL FROM A ROSE
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Margie Singleton ]
His way of telling me he loves is a petal from a red rose
In a letter while he's away
And just as sure as dark is night and day is light
He's never failed to write
And send a petal from a red rose every day
He used to always joke and say if his love ever die
He'd send the petal from a rose of white
But then the he quickly say with a kiss and the smile
Now don't you worry I'll love you forever
And every day a petal from a red rose will arrive
Today his letter came as usual but it was only a page of silence
Along the petal from a rose of white
**********
4.
SHE PICKED ME UP
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '69 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley ]
I guess you're surprised to see me smiling
Cause when you left I wore such a frown
I suppose you thought I'd stay right were you left me
But she picked me up just when you put me down
She picked me up and brushed all the hurt away
Put a smile on my face where you left the frown
And instead of all the bad you wished the best has come my way
She picked me up just when you put me down
[ steel ]
She picked me up and brushed all the hurt away...
She picked me up just when you put me down
**********
5.
PARTING OF THE WAYS
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley & Margie Singleton ]
We walk this road together for so long
Yes we never stop to think how it could be to walk alone
We overlook the warning signs they told us day by day
We'd soon be here where we're standing now at the parting of the ways
The narrow path we started on kept us both side by side
Our world was filled with happiness and true love was our guide
Then temptation fell and stepped with us so we made our first mistake
That let us here where we're standing now at the parting of the ways
The narrow path we started on...
**********
6.
HANGIN' ON
(Ira Allen - Buddy Mize)
« © '67 ATV Songs, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley & Margie Singleton ]
It's true you have me twisted around your finger
It seems that's where I belong
You know how to hold me to thrill me and control me
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on just enough to keep me a hangin' on
My heart is like a yoyo on the string
I'm tied to you right or wrong
My love keeps a growing cause your love keeps a showing
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on just enough to keep me A hangin' on
A love as strong as mine will make me do most anything
Like hiding tears and heartaches and dreaming silly dreams
You've got me where you want me you keep stringing me along
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on just enough to keep me a hangin' on
Just enough to keep me a hangin' on
**********
7.
BIG BOYS DON'T NEED MAMAS
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Margie Singleton ]
My little boy no I can't call you that now can I son
But I guess in my eyes that's what you'll always be
The years have gone to fast for me too soon you've become a man
And before I'm ready to let you go son
They're taking you away to fight for Uncle Sam
Big boys don't need mamas to fight their fights for them
I remember the first fight you ever got into
You came home with the worst bloody nose I ever saw
I was so mad I wanted to go right out and fight for you
But you wouldn't let me would you son
You just stood there proud and tall
And spoke those mighty words of wisdom coming from one so small
Big boys don't need mamas to fight their fights for them
You've always made me proud my son
And your courage you've never failed to show
And now that duty calls you're going gladly
To fight an enemy that you don't even know
Oh but this is one battle I'd give the world if I could fight for you
But somehow I find the strength I need to let you go
When I remember those words you spoke so long ago
Big boys don't need mamas to fight their fights for them
Yes I know they need you over there in that foreign land
And I know I'm not the only mother who is having to give up a son
Oh but I pray that I'm only lending you to them in their time of need
And that somehow God in his mercy
Will find a way to send you safely back home to me
Big boys don't need mamas but mamas don't ever stop needin' them
**********
8.
ILLUSIONS OF LIFE
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '68 Ashmar Music, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley ]
Put me in the dark room where my eyes can't see
Take the gift of hearing sound away from me
Let me live here alone in my world of fantasy
With my illusions of love and my illusions of her
And my illusions of life
If I were blind I couldn't see her walk away
And if I would deaf I couldn't hear her say goodbye to me
So take away my senses let me be free to live
With my illusions of love and my illusions of her
And my illusions of life
[ steel ]
If I were blind I couldn't see her walk away ...
**********
9.
WANDERING MIND
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton - Merle Kilgore)
« © '68 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
[ Margie Singleton ]
Wandering mind wandering mind
Wondering where you are and how you spend your time
Wondering if you're wondering of the one you left behind
My heart is weak but my mind's a little bit stronger
I keep a telling myself everyday of my life
But the strain of losing you has overloaded my mind
Leaving thoughts of you working over time
Wandering mind wandering mind...
My mind breaks up each day a little bit sooner
To start each day a wondering right on time
But each day ends with my questions still unanswered
Of why you left me here with a wandering mind
Wandering mind wandering mind...
Wandering mind wandering mind...
**********
10.
YOU'LL NEVER BE LONELY AGAIN
(Leon Ashley - Margie Singleton)
« © '69 Al Gallico Music, BMI »
[ Leon Ashley & Margie Singleton ]
Not one tear will fall unnoticed and your every wish I'll fullfill
The flood of love I'll kepp flowing and you'll never be lonely again
There'll be times when you need understanding
And I'll give much more than my share
With these arms I'll held the shelter around you
And you'll never be lonely again
I'll never question that faraway look
That sometimes may come to your eyes
I'll constantly give my assurance of love
And you'll never be lonely again
No you'll never be lonely again
**********