lp discography - covers & lyrics

1.

DEAL

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
Well life is a gamble and the days they're just so many decks
Oh the hours are cards they deal and you play what you get
Oh you think of the the time that you knew you could call so you raised
Oh you think of the the time that you got out when you should have stayed

Deal A may be the next card's an Ace
Deal you ought to go home but you know that a Flush beats A straight
Oh you can't have a Fullhouse the Queen has been dealt to a friend
Oh the good thing about life is they shuffle and they deal life again

Well the cards are all stacked when you're hot and the women are too
Oh it's a hard cut to take when you raised every hand but you do
Well I'm not complainin' it ain't like a Joker to cry
Oh it won't do to cheat cause you have to cash in when you die

So deal A may be the next card's an Ace...
**********

2.

FROM A MANSION TO A HONKY TONK

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
How could anyone who said they'd help me want to hurt me the way you did
It was just like super woman slapping some for crying kids
It's just one slip and the stumble Lord it's sure not very far
From a big three storey mansion to a nine by twelve foot bar

From a mansion to a honky tonk Lord it's closer than I thought
From a mansion to a honky tonk thanks for trying hey thanks a lot

I hate to say it hmm but I don't miss miss it castle's cold and money chill
Our love died a pure starvation it's not something that you kill
I just wonder does the world know what a short trip it really is
From a bedroom to a barroom and an honest way to live

From a mansion to a honky tonk...
**********

3.

GIRL WHO READ THE SAME BOOK ALL THE TIME

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
The girl from West Virginia read the same book all the time
At first I thought perhaps she was unsettled in her mind
She'd read it front to back and then she'd read it over again
She knew that I knew she knew what happened in the end

She would go to work each morning that's the book she would take
She'd read it on her lunch hour and she'd read it on her break
Her calm expression never changed from page to page to page
She knew that story never changed from day to day to day

Some people said it was a book of outer love affair
That grew and grew throughout the years and never knew a care
A book where in the people love and dreams all turned out right
They say she even took the book to bed with her at night
[ ac.guitar ] I remember the tattered pages the the cover faded out
Of a walkin' wind blown woman by some old majestic house
One day I even asked her why she did that and she said
Mr Hall this is the best book I have ever read

Some people say it was a book of outer great romance
She picked it up that night and didn't make the high school dance
Ain't it strange what life can sometimes do to people's mind
Like the girl from West Virginia reads the same book all the time
**********

4.

TREES IN PHILADELPHIA

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
She loved me like the trees love Philadelphia
And like the Philadelphians love trees
One fine and fleeting day in Philadelphia
Then we went our seperate ways to share the same old memories

It's different now than what it's always been
It's that narrow line between love and sin
Oh she loved me like the trees love Philadelphia
And like the Philadelphians love trees

Just a summer walk on one afternoon
Like the leaves that fall it ended too soon
Oh she loved me like the trees love Philadelphia
And like the Philadelphians love trees
**********

5.

I LIKE BEER

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
In some of my songs I have casually mentioned
The fact that I like to drink beer
This little song is more to the point
Roll out the barrel and lend me your ears

I like beer
It makes me a jolly good fellow
I like beer
It helps me unwind and sometimes it makes me feel mellow
(Makes him feel mellow) Whiskey's too rought champaigne costs too much
And vodka puts my mouth in gear
This little refrain should help me explain
As a matter of fact I like beer
(He likes beer)

My wife often frowns when we're out on the town
And I'm wearing a suit and a tie
She's sipping vermouth and she thinks I'm uncute
While I yell as the waiter goes by

I like beer...

Last night I dreamed that I passed from the scene
And I went to a place so sublimed
All the water was clear and tasted like beer
Then they turned it all into wine

I like beer...
(Yes he likes beer)
**********

6.

FALLEN WOMEN

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
She reminds me some of a blue eyed doll a strange look there in her eyes
Surprisingly quick with her movements like a woman who's learned to survive
She empties the ashtrays and passes the booze in a crude but professional style
And her facial contoprtions were painfully set in a look that resambles the smile

The small crowded bar roars loud its approval of some verbal blow that she's dealt
By telling a trucker from the Redball Express to have intercourse with himself
In my mind I can see her room the place where the woman lives
The rollers and the curlers and the old panty hose
And the ceiling that leeks like a sieve

And there's pictures of Merle and Johnny and June and Kennedy there with a flag
And a letter from home that she's read ten times and an old blue traveling bag
You know that man she loves ah he's puttin' her on
But no queen could ever love him more
And in her mind their ship will sail to a hundred exotic shores

Lord she'll get no pity from me no she's tough and she wouldn't care
But life is made up of wishes and dreams and she's had more than her share
As I sit here and drink and look for a song I think I just find me one
There's a difference in a fallen women and the one who is still hangin' on
**********

7.

SINGER'S SONG

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
Now that I know what I know why did the learning come so slow
There are deeds that I have done there in the songs I've sung

And no building stands with my name on the side
I've left no trails for little kids to ride
God had his wish and I had mine he gave me words and I made them rhyme
If there's good in what I bring it's in the songs I sing
[ harmonica ] So let me sing and go on by build your castles to the sky
I make mine with words and tones and so I work alone

And no building stands with my name on the side...
**********

8.

LYING JIM

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
Lying Jim Lying Jim one of our local brothers
Hey there Lying Jim come on tell us another

Now ole Lying Jim got cought one time a stealin' a bunch of chickens
The neighbor all got upset that the law went out to get him
Jim was sittin' there eatin' the leg and the law said what have you done
Jim said I was just passin' that house and that chickens followed me home

Lying Jim Lying Jim...

Now ole Lying Jim got drunk one time he passed right out in church
Fell right off the front row pew someone said Lord he's hurt
Next mornin' ole Jim sobered up out on the preacher's farm
He said preacher I was wrestlin' the devil and that wrestler broke my arm

Lying Jim Lying Jim...
[ guitar ] Now ole Lying Jim was broke one time and he tried to borrow money
Now some thought Jim was terrible some folks thought Jim was funny
They said Jim we'll give you thirty dollars just for one more lie
Jim said boys I ain't got time my old rich uncle just died

Lying Jim Lying Jim...

Now Jim was seein' the neighbor's wife and the man came home from work
Ole Jim grabbed the clothes to run but he only got his shirt
Well round and round that house they went and Jim was just in the kitchen
Jim said I was just showin' your wife where I got bit by kitten

Lying Jim Lying Jim...
**********

9.

IT RAINED IN EVERY TOWN EXCEPT PADUCAH

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
Worked construction for a while in St Louis
I was helping build a great big new motel
It rained so much I couldn't make the payments
I sold my car it didn't run too well
Got a job at makin' stoke ice in Ohio
But it rained so much I moved along again
It never seemed to rain when you were with me
Or I just didn't notice rain back then

Oh it rained in every town except Paducah
In a way it reminds me of you
It rained in every town except Paducah
Then one day it rain in Paducah too
[ harmonica ] Got a job at stringin' wire down in Atlanta
Didn't rain too much but there's a constant mist
I read two books and learned to play canasta
Till I got bored and I gave it up for this
I rode that stream machine out the fairground
I lost some ways but then I put it back
It rained as I was walking back to Pete Street
I used to be afraid of things like that

Oh it rained in every town except Paducah...
**********

10.

McLEAY STREET IN SYDNEY

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
There's more love on McLeay Street in Sydney
Than you have in your heart for me
I can buy love like yours on McLeay Street
So why won't your love let me be

I'm so tired of bein' your toy I'm so tired of bein' your boy
Oh there's more love on McLeay Street in Sydney
It doesn't cause heartaches it doesn't cause teardrops
It just costs money it doesn't make memory
[ harmonica + guitar ] They don't call it real love on McLeay Street
It's just using somebody for a time
They don't pretend it's real love on McLeay Street
They don't break hearts like you've been breaking mine

And I'm so tired of bein' your toy...
**********

11.

SAD SONG FOR MY FRIEND

(Tom T. Hall) « © '75 Hallnote Music, BMI / Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »
You know I love my music it's really all I got
I never really cared that much if I was cold or hot
Now I got the job to do I don't want to begin
I've gotta write a sad song for my friend

He was not like me no he tried a lot
But just like me he cried a lot
Oh I never thought I'd have to cause that ain't what I meant
I've gotta write a sad song for my friend
[ harmonica ] She was quite a lady and he was quite a guy
They were quite a couple it was quite a cry
They used to sit and laugh a lot cause I like to pick and grin
They helped me write a sad song for my friend

He was not like me no he tried a lot...

I don't wanna sing no sad songs for my friend
**********