TATTOO
(Columbia PC-34780)
August/1977
Produced by Billy Sherrill & Ron Bledsoe
Billy Sanford, John Christopher, Tommy Allsup, Reggie Young - guitar
Lloyd Green, Weldon Myrick - steel
Mike Leech, Henry Strzelecki, Ted Reynolds, Ron Bledsoe - bass
Kenny Malone, Ralph Gallant, Buster Phillips - drums
Hargus Pig Robbins, Ron Oates - piano
Buddy Spicher - violin/fiddle
Vocal accompaniment by The Nashville Edition
Recorded:
1977, Columbia Studio, Nashville
1977, Quadrophonic Studios, Nashville
Creative Workshop, Nashville
1.
JUST TO PROVE MY LOVE FOR YOU
(David A. Coe)
« © '77 Captive Music, BMI / Careers Music, BMI »
I'd walk across Kansas in a New York minute climb the Colorado mountains in the fall
Crawl through Arizona like a flatland lizard if I thought it'd do me any good at all
I could swim Lake Erie with my hands tied behind me
Eat a West Virginia coal miner's shoes
Drink the Mississippi River if it took a mouth of Sundays just to prove my love for you
I remember well the first time that I kissed you
Cause the things ain't been the same ever since
You got me thinkin' I could eat a ten penny nail and spit out a barbed wire fence
Now there ain't a livin' creature gonna evert come between us
I'd fight lions snakes and gorillas too
And if that ain't enough we'll start all over just to prove my love for you
[ fiddle - steel ]
I could ride my pony through the eye of a hurricane climb Mount Everest on a string
Jump Niagara Falls in a burnin' barrel and bring you back a hoop smoke ring
Wrestle alligators in the Okefenokee there's nothin' I wouldn't do
If you just say the word I'll catch that Great Speckled Bird and bring it back to you
I remember well the first time...
I'd walk across Kansas in a New York minute...
**********
2.
FACE TO FACE
(David A. Coe)
« © '77 Careers Music, BMI »
Face to face toe to toe where we'll stop heaven knows
Arm in arm cheak to cheak who's to blame
Hand in hand heart to heart we never should have let it start
But it's too late we shared it all now we'll just have to share the blame
I can feel your body tremble as I hold you in my arms
For you know another woman has my name
Now she knows it's just you and me but she don't want to set me free
We've shared it all now it's time to share the blame
Face to face toe to toe...
Face to face toe to toe...
Face to face toe to toe where we'll stop
**********
3.
YOU'LL ALWAYS LIVE INSIDE OF ME
(David A. Coe - Bobby Charles)
« © '77 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI / Rice And Gravy Music, BMI »
You could sail across the water take the kids and set me free
You could die and go to heaven but you'll always live inside of me
You'll always live inside of me girl you'll always live inside of me
No one else will ever take your place you'll always live inside of me
[ steel ]
They could take me back to prison they could throw away the key
Just as long as I am breathin' you'll always live inside of me
You'll always live inside of me girl...
You'll always live inside of me girl...
**********
4.
PLAY ME A SAD SONG
(David A. Coe)
« © '77 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
Play me a sad song tell me your woman's gone you know how misery loves company
Sing it just one more time before I lose my mind tell me how misery loves company
Loneliness surrounds me emptiness you found me I don't think I can go on
Sing me a drinking song tell me you done her wrong you know how misery loves company
I'll put in my last dime to hear it one more time Willie sing Misery Loves Company
Loneliness surrounds me emptiness you found me I don't think I can go on
I don't think I can go on I don't think I can go on
**********
5.
DADDY WAS A GOD FEARIN' MAN
(David A. Coe)
« © '77 Captive Music, BMI / Careers Music, BMI »
Used to go with my grandpa up to the town square
Set him down up there on a picnic bench
And he used to play checkers with them other old menup there
They used to tell stories bout when they were kids
Grandpa says he shot the Chief of Police when he was nine years old
I believe it
Cause they tell me Harlan Knetucky was the baddest place in the world
Why they say they used to sit out there on their front porch
Shoot them revenuers when they'd come down the hollow
Said they was so young took two of them boys
To hold the rifle and one to pull the trigger
Well grandpa he'd lie a little bit
But I'll tell you there's a lot of stories in Harlan County
Yeah folks in Harlan County Lord they knew that we were poor
They always called my daddy Preacher Dan
But daddy weren't no preacher least ways I don't recallect
Never hear of papa talk of nothin' but the land
Daddy was a God fearin' farmer yes he was
Could not read nor write Lord he could barely sign his name
Daddy was a God fearin' farmer all his life someday when I'm grown I'll be the same
Well he always grew tobacco though he did not smoke himself
He had the best tobacco crop around
And he never touched a drop of liquor that I can recall
Papa made his livin' on the ground
Yes Sunday go to meetin' called for more than he could stand
I guess he felt at home in his old clothes
But he never missed a Sunday takin' mama to the church
Maybe it was habit Lord but heaven only knows
Daddy was a God fearin' farmer...
[ steel - fiddle ]
Yeah folks in Harlan County Lord....
Someday when I'm grown I'll be the same someday when I'm grown I'll be the same
**********
6.
CANTEEN OF WATER
(Jay Bolotin)
« © '77 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
He carries his ID's and his books bound in leather
And a change of clothing and a picture of Anna when she was younger
Least he forget her and in among his papers is a list of all the people that he knew
And many sent letters telling someone that he'd be there sometime soon
Hey stranger aren't you the tiredness that remains
When you think freedom can't be measured
By the scuffles on your boots hey hey hey
Now he dreams with Anna a life in the time they were together
He was hard and she was supple where they lived out in the country
She thought gentle like his hands upon her body
And when Anna felt the cooling wind David felt the need to be blown down
And when Anna felt the cleansing rain David fought the fear that he might drown
Hey stranger and now you wander through the country
That you hope is much less frightening when it's quicker passing by hey hey hey
Now in southern Arizona at the Last Chance Diner counter
Being questioned by the waitress he prepares for the desert
With his fredom and a canteen of water
La la la la la la...
**********
7.
MARIA IS A MYSTERY
(David A. Coe - Jay Bolotin)
« © '77 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
Maria has a music box she winds up most every day
Once a week is all it takes to make the music play
Melody is just some childhood lullabye her mother used to sing to her
And the road down to the city goes right by Maria's door
I ofted walk right by her house on my way to the store
Up there where those Italian mothers dress their shivering bambinos for the rain
She tells me about Jesus and all his gallant men I tell her about fantasy
Maria she's this lady on my way down to the river Maria she's a mystery
Maria she's a mystery
Yeah passing by this morning I drew a picture in my hand
Our bodies in some candlelight that glowed upon our skin
Maybe if I touched her she would disappear like angels in a dream
She tells me about Jesus...
La la la la la la...
**********
8.
JUST IN TIME (TO WATCH LOVE DIE)
(David A. Coe - Jimmy Townsend)
« © '77 Captive Music, BMI / Careers Music, BMI »
There's a stack of daily papers on her doorstep
And the grass has grown up more than she'd allow
Yes it looks to me to be a little more than a vacation
Never knew that I'd miss her until now
From both ends the candle seemed to burn much brighter
I guess she saw the flame I tried so hard to die
Looks like I'm the one that got caught in the middle burnt my finger
I got there just in time to watch love die
Yes I got there just in time to watch love die mhm mhm
There's a change of address blank inside her mailbox
And the key she usually left for me's not here
Yes it's plain to see that she no longer needs an explanation
Guess I should have known I would not find her here
From both ends the candle seemed...
But I got there much too late to say goodbye
**********
9.
SAN FRANCISCO MABEL JOY
(Mickey Newbury)
« © '69 Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
My daddy was an honest man just a red dirt Georgia farm boy
My mama spent her young life raisin' kids and bailin' hay
Now I was just fifteen when I ached inside to wander
So hopped a freight in Waycross and I rode it to LA
I met a girl known on the Strip as San Francisco's Mabel Joy
Destitution's child born on an LA street called Shame
The sleep came and left this little Waycross country boy
Mabel Joy was gone Lord I'd never see her again
Growin' up came quietly in the arms of Mabel Joy
Laughter found the mornings brought the meaning to my life
I woke up one day Lord finding I was by myself
With dreams of Georgia cotton and a California wife
Lord the cold nights had no pity on a Waycross Georgia farm boy
Most days he went hungry and then the summer came
Sunday morning found me standin' neath the red light at her door
Right cross sent me reelin' put my face down on the floor
In place of my Mabel Joy he found a merchant mad marine
Who said your Georgia neck is red but Sonny you're still green
But I turned twenty one in a grey rock Federal prison
The judge had no mercy for this Waycross Georgia boy
Sometimes at night in silence Lord I'd listen
That midnight freight to take me back to Mabel Joy
The cold nights had no pity on this Waycross Georgia farm boy
Springtime turned to summer and then the winter came
Starin' at those four grey walls in silence Lord I'd listen
Somewhere's in the distance to the whistle of a train
Sunday morning found me lying neath the red light at her door
With a bullet in my side I cried have you seen Mabel Joy
Stunned and shaken someone said son she don't live here anymore
She left this town ten years ago I heard she's looking for
Some Georgia farm boy
**********
10.
HEY GYPSY
(David A. Coe - Fred Spears)
« © '77 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
Hey gypsy hey gypsy come on home even if it's just to paint your wagon
Old hobo how long can this go on she's mending socks and sittin' home a naggin'
Hey outlaw let's spend some time together she said outlaw
It does matter whether we're alone come on home
Hey drifter has your feeling for her gone
Have you spent too many night out on the highway
Hey loner she said hit the road and sing your songs
It won't be long until I have your baby
Hey outlaw let's spend some time together...
Hey drifter (hey gypsy) hey outlaw (hey drifter)
Hey loner (hey outlaw) hey hobo (hey drifter)
Hey gypsy hey gypsy
**********