lp discography - covers & lyrics

12.

IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW

(Jimmie Rodgers)
« © '28 Peer International, BMI »
I had a friend named Bill Campbell he used to rob steal and gamble
And on the side he'd beg so he mopped up
I told him he shouldn't do it and Campbell told me he knew it
So he started beggin' with a bucket instead of a cup
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
Well Campbell fluffed his dove when he wore a tuxedo to the country club
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
[ guitar ] I met his old gal Sadie she said have you seen Billy lately
I said I don't believe that he's about
She went down to the jail she went down to take him his mail
Then she whispered sheriff please don't let him out
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
While Campbell's put away Sadie's with the sheriff everyday
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
[ guitar ] Well I remember the last election the prohibitionists were in action
They's tryin' to elect themselves a president
Bill Canpbell and John Austin walked from New Orleans to Boston
And they've got a bottle in every settlement
They're in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
They're in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
They were down at the railroad track stealin' a train to haul it back
They're in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
**********

13.

I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW

(Cecil Null)
« © '53 Unart Catalog, BMI »
You think you know the smile on her lips the thrill at the touch of her fingertips
But I forgot more than you'll ever know about her
You think you'll find a heaven of bliss in each caress and each tender kiss
But I forgot more than you'll ever know about her

You stole her love from me one day you didn't care how you've hurt me
But you can never steal away mem'ries of what used to be
You think she's yours to have and to hold
But someday you'll learn when her love grows cold
That I forgot more than you'll ever know about her
[ guitar ] You stole her love from me...
**********

14.

CASEY JONES

(Lawrence T. Seibert - Ernie Newton)
« © '34 Shapiro-Bernestein Co, ASCAP »
Come all you rounders if you wanna hear the story about a brave engineer
Casey Jones was the roller's name on a 68 wheeler course he won his fame

Caller called Casey bout half past four he kissed his wife at the station door
He climbed in the cabin with his orders in his hand
Said this is the trip to the Promised Land

Casey Jones climbed in the cabin Casey Jones orders in his hand
Casey Jones leanin' out the window taking a trip to the Promised Land

Through South Memphis Yards on a fly rain been a fallin' and the water was high
Everybody knew by the engine's moan that the man at the throttle was Casey Jones
Well Jones said fireman now don't you fret Sam Webb said we ain't a givin' up yet
We're eight hours late with the southbound mail
We'll be on time or we're leavin' the rails

Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...

Dead on the rail was a passenger train blood was a boilin' in Casey's brain
Casey said hey now look out ahead jump Sam jump or we'll all be dead

With a hand on a whistle and a hand on a brake north Mississippi was wide awake
I see railroad official said he's a good engineer to be a laying dead

Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...

Headaches and heartaches and all kinds of pain all the part of a railroad train
Sweat and toil the good and the grand part of the life of a railroad man

Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...
**********

15.

FRANKIE'S MAN JOHNNY

(Johnny Cash)
« © '58 House Of Cash, BMI »
Well now Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
They were true as a blue blue sky
He was a long-legged guitar picker with a wicked wanderin' eye
But he was her man nearly all of the time
Well Johnny he packed up to leave her but he promised he'd be back
He said he had a little pickin' to do a little farther down the track
He said I'm your man I wouldn't do you wrong
Well Frankie curled up on the sofa thinkin' about her man
Far away the couples were dancing to the music of his band
He was Frankie's man he wadn't doin' her wrong
Then in the front door walked a redhead Johnny saw her right away
She came down by the bandstand to watch him while he played
He was Frankie's man but she was far away
He sang every song to the redhead she smiled back at him
Then he came and sat at her table where the lights were low and dim
What Frankie didn't know wouldn't hurt her none
Then the redhead jumped up and slapped him she slapped him a time or two
She said I'm Frankie's sister and I was checking up on you
If you're her man you better treat her right
Well the moral of this story is be good but carry a stick
Sometimes it looks like a guitar picker just can't tell what to pick
He was Frankie's man and he still ain't done her wrong
**********

16.

LEGEND OF JOHN HENRY'S HAMMER

(Johnny Cash - June Carter)
« © '62 Anne Rachel Music, ASCAP / Song Of Cash Music, ASCAP »
John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
He said fore the sheriff comes I want to tell you
Listen boy he said learn to ball a jack learn to lay a track
Learn to pick and shovel too and take my hammer it'll do anything you tell it to
John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies
John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money
He said I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow
That's pay for a steel driver on this line
Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger
I see you brought your own hammer boy but what else can all them muscles do
And he said I can turn a jack I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too (can you swing a hammer boy)
Yes well I'll do anything you hire me to
(Now ain't you something so high and mighty with your muscles
Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer pick up that hammer)
He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times
I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to
Go on and do what you say you can do
With a steep nased hammer on a four foot switch handle
John Henry raised his back till it touched his heels
And the spike went thru the crosstie and split it half in two
35 cents a day for driving steel
(Swing swing it boy swing you owe me two more swings)
I was born for drivin' steel
Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
He'd give a grunt and give agroun with every swing
The women folks from miles around heard him and come down
To watch him make cold steel ring
Lord what a swinger just listen to the cold steel ring
But the bad boss come up laughing at John Henry
Said you full of vinegar now byt you bout through
We're gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin'
And what's all them muscles gonna do ha John Henry
Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you
John Henry said I feed more little brothers
And baby sister's walking on her knees
Did the Lord say that machines oughta take the place of living
And what's a substitute for bread and beans I ain't seen it
Do engines get rewared for their steam
John Henry hid in a coalmine for his dinner nap
Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell
The mine boss hollered get up whoever you are and get up a pick-ake
Give me enough coal to start another hell
And keep it burning mine me enough to start another hell
John Henry said to his Captain a man ain't nothin' but a man
But if you bring that steam drill round and I'll beat it fair and honest
I'll die with my hammer in my hand but I'll be laughing
Cause you can't replace a steel drivin' man
There was a big crowd of people at the mountain
John Henry said to the steam drill how is you
Pardon me Mr Steam Drill I suppose you didn't hear me I said how I are you ha
Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track can you pick and shovel too
Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you
[ guitar ] Two thousand people hollered (go John Henry)
Then somebody hollered (the mountain's cawing in)
John Henry told the Captain tell the kind folks don't worry
It ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind it keeps me breathing
This steel driver's muscle I ain't tin
Captain tell the people move back further
I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill
It's so far behind and yet it ain't got the brains to quiet it
When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills Lord Lord
When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills
Well John Henry had a little woman
I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann
Yes that was his good woman
John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home
He lay down to rest his weary back and early next morning he said
Come here Polly Ann come here sugar you know I believe this is the first time
I ever watched the sun come up that I couldn't come up
Take my hammer Polly Ann and go to that railroad
Swing that hammer like you seen me do it
And when you're swinging with the lead man they'll know
They'll know you're John Henry's woman
But tell them that ain't all you can do tell them
I can loist a jack I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too
Ain't no machine can that's been proved to you
There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house
The section hands laid him in the sand
Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid
They slow down and take off the hats the men do
When you've come to the place where John Henry's layin' restin' his back
Some of 'em say morning streel driver you sure was a hammer swinger
Then they go by pickin' up a little speed
Clickety-clack clickety-clak clickety-clack clickety-clak
(Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man)
**********

17.

WHEN PAPA PLAYED THE DOBRO

(Johnny Cash)
« © '60 House Of Cash, BMI »
My papa was a hobo when they delivered me
We didn't have a doctor cause he couldn't pay the fee
But when the goin' got too bad to ease his misery
Papa played the dobro this a way and he'd go
[ dobro ] When company would come around he kept the dobro hid
He knew he couldn't play the way the other players did
Why the guitar's resonator was a gallon bucket lid
But papa played the dobro this a way and he'd go
[ dobro ] Well now that papa's gone away it's hanging by the flue
The top of it's rusted and the strings're rusty too
It won't ever sound the way that it did when it was new
When papa played the dobro this a way and he'd go
**********

18.

BUSTED

(Harlan Howard)
« © '62 Tree Publishing, BMI »
My bills are all due and the babies need shoes but I'm busted
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound but I'm busted
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county will haul my belongings away I'm busted
[ guitar ] I went to my brother to ask for a loan I was busted
I hate to beg like a dog for a bone but I'm busted
My brother said there ain't a thing I can do
My wife and my kids're all down with the flu
And I was just thinking of calling on you I'm busted
[ guitar ] Lord I'm no thief but a man can go wrong when he's busted
The food that we canned last summer is gone and I'm busted
The fields're all bare and the cotton won't grow
Me and my family gotta pack up and go
But I'll make a living the Lord only knows but I'm busted
**********

19.

SING IT PRETTY SUE

(Johnny Cash)
« © '62 Anne Rachel Music, ASCAP / Song Of Cash Music, ASCAP »
So you gave up all between us for a glamorous carear
And with all your talent you should be the big star of the year
Then you'll be public property so I release my claim to you
Go on and give 'em all you've got sing it pretty Sue

I can't take just part of you and give the world a half
So Smile for all the papers and give 'em autographs
Go on to all the cities so your public can see you
But I'll watch on television so sing it pretty Sue
[ guitar ] I hope you'll soon be on the top of every hitparade
I'll try to be excited bout the progress that you've made
I'll collect your pictures like any fan would do
And I'll buy all your records so sing it pretty Sue

But I won't ever tell a soul that we have ever met
I'll just be one of millions who'll give the praise you get
And maybe every year or so I'll drop a card to you
To tell you I'm still listening so sing it pretty Sue
**********

20.

WAITING FOR A TRAIN

(Jimmie Rodgers)
« © '29 Peer International, BMI »
All around the water tank waitin' for a train
A thousand miles away from home sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk
He said if you've got money I'll see that you don't walk
Well I haven't got a nickel not a penny can I show
He said get off you railroad bum and he slammed the boxcar door
[ piano ] Well he put me off in Texas a place I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me the moon and stars above
Nobody seems to want me nor to lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco headin' back to Dixie Land
My pocketbook is empty my heart is willed with pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waitin' for a train
**********