I NEVER PICKED COTTON
(Dot DLP-25980)
July/1970
Produced by Joe Allison
Recorded:
March/1970, Jack Clement Studio, Nashville (1,8)
June/1970, Jack Clement Studio, Nashville
1.
I NEVER PICKED COTTON
(Charlie Williams - Bobby George)
« © '69 Central Songs, BMI / Freeway Music, BMI »
I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did and my sister did
And my daddy died young workin' in the coal mine
When I was just a baby too little for a cotton sack
I played in the dirt while the others worked
Till they couldn't straight enough their backs
And I made myself a promise when I was big enough to run
That I'd never stay a single day in that Oklahoma sun
And I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did and my sister did
And my daddy died young workin' in the coal mine
Folks said I grew up early in the farm that couldn't hold me then
So I stole ten bucks and a pickup truck and I never went back again
And it was fast cars and whiskey long haired girls and fun
I had everything that money could bring and I took it all with a gun
But I never picked cotton...
It was Saturday night in Memphis when a redneck grabbed my shirt
And when he said go back in your cotton sack I let 'im dyin' in the dirt
They'd take me in the mornin' to the gallows just outside
And in the time I've got there ain't a hullava lot that I can look back on with pride
But I never picked cotton...
But I never picked cotton...
**********
2.
SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN
(Kris Kristofferson)
« © '70 Combine Music, BMI »
I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad
So I had one more for desert
Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt
And I shaved my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stair to meet the day
Well I smoke my brain the night before
With cigarettes and songs that I'd been a picking
But I lit my first and watched the small kid
Cussin' at a can that he was kicking
Then I crossed the empty street
And caught the Sunday smell of someone cookin' chicken
And it took me back to something
That I'd lost somewhow somewhere along the way
On a Sunday morning sidewalk wishing Lord that I was stoned
Cause there's something in a Sunday makes a body feel alone
And there's nothing sure of dying half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleepy city sidewalk Sunday morning coming down
In the park I saw a daddy
With the laughing little girl that he was swinging
And I stopped beside a Sunday school
And listened to the song that they were singing
Then I headed back for home
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringing
And it echoed through the canyon
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday
On the Sunday morning sidewalk...
**********
3.
SINCE DECEMBER
(Hank Cochran - Glenn Martin)
« © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »
Did she always like to go off on her own
Was she really always tired when she came home
You don't owe me any favors but would you please try to remember
You see I've only known her since December
Did sad songs did they always make her cry
And truthfully did you ever catch her in a lie
It would help a lot though you may not care to remember
You see I've only known her since December
I'm not sure it's right for me to come to you this way
But you know all I stand to lose and did you lose her just this way
Did her mind sorta drift when she just heard the word remember
You see I've only known her since December
You see I've only known her since December
**********
4.
YOU GOTTA LOVE PEOPLE
(Joe Bob Barnhill)
« © '69 U Catalog, ASCAP »
**********
5.
LONESOME TOO LONG
(Joe Allison - Roy Clark)
« © '69 Nashville Music, BMI »
Don't smother your love with small questions
Design for your own reassurance
Don't think of your love as just being
Some kind of love some insurance
Grow up but let her grow with you
Stand by her side right or wrong
I didn't find these things out soon enough
And I have been lonesome too long
Don't let yourself think that you own her
But stand by yourself by her side
Be honest with strenght and with weakness
Be careful of ego and pride
Be firm but learn to be gentle
Lead her but don't tag along
I didn't find these things out soon enough
And I have been lonesome too long
**********
6.
IS ANYBODY GOING TO SAN ANTONE
(Dave Kirby - Glenn Martin)
« © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »
Rain drippin' off the brim of my hat sure is cold today
Here I am walkin' down 66 wish she hadn't done me this way
Sleepin' under a table in a roadside park why a man could wake up dead
But it sure seems warmer than it did sleeping in my king size bed
Is anybody going to San Antone or Phoenix Arizona
Anyplace is all right as long as I can forget I've ever known her
Wind whippin' down the neck like I ain't got nothing on
But I'd rather fight the wind and rain than what I've been fighting at home
Yonder comes a truck with the US mail people writin' letters back home
Tomorrow she'll probably want me back but I'll still be just as gone
Is anybody going to San Antone or Fargo North Dakota
Anyplace is all right as long as I can forget I've ever known her
Is anybody going to San Antone or Phoenix Arizona
Anyplace is all right as long as I can forget I've ever known her
**********
7.
JANUARY APRIL AND ME
(Buddy Mize)
« © '70 Central Songs, BMI »
In the 1957 blue and green two door sedan
We divided all we own I've packed all I can
The back seat's piled high with things in the front seat tears are flowing
And I'm driving down a lonely road without a single thought to where we're going
But January April and me
We're pulling out so you can be the girl you wanna be
Go get 'em little Miss uptown ride high ride free
But say goodbye to January April and and me
The tiny rocker teddy bear and dolls are gone and won't be in your way
I forgot to take that ol' pipe you never liked just throw it away
I don't think April understands but January's crying
I know what her heart is going through
Here we are the three of us leaving the rest of us
Knowing you're the part of all we do
But January April and me...
Say goodbye to January April and and me
But January April and me...
**********
8.
SHE CRIES FOR ME
(Red Lane)
« © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »
This is a story of the greatest kind of love there is
The one that you love even when you're gone
Stunning and beautiful she stands there by fireplace
Reds greens and blues flick'ring in her eyes
A small unruly curle falls down across her forehead
As she reads the letter she cries
(And she cries for me) she cries for me
She knows that I love her she can see
If my wandering soul should ever stop it will stop at her front door
I can't remember when I loved anybody more
What a feelin'
She stands there so proudly in her simple gingham dress
You can just see all the mem'ries there in her eyes
She cradles a picture in two soft trembling hands
She kisses the picture and softly cries
(And she cries for me) God she cries for me
She knows that I love her she can see
So if my wandering soul should ever stop it's gonna stop at her front door
I can't remember when I loved anybody more
No I've never ever I've never really loved before
It's such a great feelin'
**********
9.
THANK GOD AND GREYHOUND
(Larry Kingston - Ed Nix)
« © '69 Careers Music, BMI »
I've made a small fortune and you've squandered it all
You shamed me till I feel about one inch tall
But I thought I loved you and I hoped you would change
So I gritted my teeth and didn't complain
Now you come to me with a simple goodbye
You tell me you're leaving but you don't tell me why
Now we're here at the station and you're getting on
And all I can think of is thank God and Greyhound you're gone
Thank God and Greyhound you're gone
I didn't know how much longer I could go on
Watching you take the respect out of me
Watching you make a total wreck out of me
That big diesel motor is a playing my song
Thank God and Greyhound you're gone
Oh thank God and Greyhound you're gone
That load on my mind got lighter when you got on
That shiny old bus is a beautiful sight
With the black smoke a rolling up around the tail lights
It may sound kinda cruel but I've been silent too long
Thank God and Greyhound you're gone
Thank God and Greyhound you're gone
**********
10.
STRANGERS
(Cynthia Weil - Barry Mann)
« © '69 Screen Gems Music, BMI »
Across the miles from heart to heart
We're born alone we live apart
And time slips by like sifting sand
So reach out stranger if you can
And take a stranger's hand
If each of us could find a way
Too steep and high the words can say
To touch each other openly
To feel that we are more than strangers
That's where love may be
To feel that we are more than strangers
That's where love may be
**********
11.
FRONT OF THE BUS BACK OF THE CHURCH
(THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD)
(Kenny Price)
« © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »
Most people don't know exactly where they're goin'
And they'll take the path that's easiest for the load
The quickest way to get there with the most is
They'll take the front of a bus the back of the church
And then they take the middle of the road
Some poeple fight to get in front of one another
And they don't care if they step on someone's toes
When they arrive they have the first selection
And it's the front of the bus the back of the church
And then they take the middle of the road
The front of the bus is always crowded
And the back of the church is always filled
And if you take the middle of the road today
And always say I told you so
The easy way don't always come so easy
And don't take from the harvest if you can't sow
And if you'd find your last at everything there's still room
At the back of the bus the front of the church
And either side of the road
**********