HANK THOMPSON
SONGS OF THE BRAZOS VALLEY
(Capitol T-418)
1955
Produced by Ken Nelson
Billy Gray, Billy Carson - guitar
Curly Chalker, Pee Wee Whitewing - steel
Billy Stewart - bass
Bill Foster, Paul McGhee - drums
Red Hayes, Amos Hedrick, Bob White - fiddle
Gil Baca - piano
Recorded:
Nov 11/1951, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (1)
Dec 16/1952, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (2)
Dec 17/1952, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (3,5,9,10)
Dec 18/1952, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (4,6,11,12)
Mar 24/1954, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (7)
Dec 13/1954, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood (8)
1.
WILD SIDE OF LIFE
(William Warren - Arlie A. Carter)
« © '51 Unart Catalog, BMI »
You wouldn't read my letter if I wrote you
You asked me not to call you on the phone
But there's something I'm wanting to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went back to the wild side of life
[ fiddle ]
The glamour of the gay night life has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be anybody's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
I didn't know God made...
**********
2.
YESTERDAY'S GIRL
(Hank Thompson - Billy Gray)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
You told her lies as her stary eyes looked up in admiration
You painted scheemes and lovely dreams with all your temptation
You spoke of things like wedding rings and promised her the world
For no cause at all you let her fall and now she's yesterday's girl
You think it's smart to lure the heart of a girl whose lips you kissed
Is it just a game to add her name to your broken hearted list
You've loved some long you've loved some wrong you promised each the world
Each game to be just a memory and another yesterday's girl
[ fiddle ]
Don't you sometimes feel that love is real the greatest thing in life
Not one romance you gave the chance to be your cherished wife
You cheat and lie you make them cry and promise each the world
And one by one they each become another yesterday's girl
When autumn falls and you recall the things that might have been
Then you'll pause and see your cause the greed that's deep within
When you're old and love grows cold I'll bet you'd give the world
To just relive and take and give the love of a yesterday's girl
**********
3.
WHEN YOU'RE LOVIN' YOU'RE LIVIN'
(Hank Thompson)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
When you're livin' and you're lovin' there's a smile upon your face
You'll sing louder and you're prouder you belong to the human race
You'll be strightly goin' nightly at the age of ninety-five
If you're lovin' then you're livin' and it's great to be alive
If you're livin' and you're lovin' life can be a lot of fun
Things behind you just can't find you make no difference what you've done
When passion rages turn the pages and don't let old age arrive
When you're lovin' then you're livin' and it's great to be alive
[ fiddle - steel ]
When you're livin' then be given all the things that's good and true
For your favor you'll find later that it all comes back to you
You'll be singin' bells're ringin' and your blues will take a dive
When you're lovin' then you're livin' and it's great to be alive
If you're not kissin' then you're missin' all the things that's nice and sweet
How can feature any creature with the life so incomplete
So let's look yonder hopes're fonder and don't love we can survive
When you're lovin' then you're livin' and it's great to be alive
**********
4.
JOHN HENRY
(Hank Thompson)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
John Henry was just a little bitty boy
No bigger than the palm of your hand
His mammy looked down at John Henry and say
Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man Lord lord
Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man
John Henry he said to his Captain Captain I wanna hear you sing
I'll swing forty-nine pounds from my hips on down
I like to hear that cold steel ring Lord Lord I like to hear that cold steel ring
[ guitar ]
John Henry had a little woman and her name was Polly Ann
John Henry he got sick and he had to go to bed
But Polly drove the steel like a man Lord Lord Polly drove the steel like a man
John Henry went to the tunnel to drive steam hammer by his side
Well he beat that drill till the end of the tunnel
Laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord laid down his hammer and he cried
[ guitar - steel ]
John Henry drove the steel on that mountain till his hammer caught on fire
And the last words we heard John Henry say
Cool drink of water before I die Lord Lord a cool drink of water before I die
Well they took John Henry to the graveyard stuck him six feet under the sand
Everytime the freight train that go puffin' by
They say there lies a steel drivin' man Lord Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man
**********
5.
I SAW MY MOTHER'S NAME
(Hank Thompson - Billy Gray)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
Your daddy was a gambling man my mother said to me
He left me when you were a child but he was all this world to me
I know your daddy loved me too from tattoo on his arms
Was a heart of love that bored my name and was his good luck charm
I didn't heed my mother's words to leave the cards alone
I took to gambling just like dad and left my mother's home
One night the gang was gathered round we delt the hand of draw
An old man sat across from me and this is what I saw
From out his sleeve he pulled the card and I pulled out my gun
I shot him dead not knowing then what evil I had done
He fell across the table his hands reached out in vain
His sleeve slipped back and upon his arm I could see so plain
I gazed down at his lifeless arm and I hung my head in shame
For upon his arm was tattooed heart and I saw my mother's name
**********
6.
LETTER EDGED IN BLACK
(Roy Carter)
« © '48 Songs Of Universal, BMI »
I was standing by my window yesterday morning
Without a thought of worry or of care
When I saw the postman coming up the pathway
With such a smiling face and jolly air
He rang the doorbell and he whistled as he waited
He smiled and said good morning to you Jack
But he little knew the sorrow that he brought me
As he handed me a letter edged in black
Then with trembling hands I took the letter from him
I opened it and this is what it said
Come home my boy your dear old father needs you
Come home my boy your dear old mother's dead
Those words the last your mother ever uttered
Were tell my boy I want him to come back
My eyes are blurred my poor old heart is breaking
As I'm writing you this letter edged in black
Then I bowed my head and in silence and in sorrow
The sunshine in my life it all had left
Since the postman brought that letter yesterday morning
Saying come home my boy your dear old mother's dead
Those harsh words I'm sorry they were never spoken
You know I didn't mean them don't you Jack
The angels bear me witness I am asking
Your forgiveness in this letter edged in black
**********
7.
MOTHER THE QUEEN OF MY HEART
(Jimmie Rodgers - Hoyt Bryant)
« © '33 Peer International, BMI »
I had a home down in Texas down where the Bluebonnets grew
I had the kindest old mother how happy we were just we two
Till one day the angels they called her that debt we all have to pay
And she'd call me close to her bedside these last few words to say
Son don't start drinking and gambling promise you'll always go straight
Ten years have passed since that parting that promise I've broke I must say
I started in gambling for past time and then I was just like them all
I bet my clothes and my money not dreaming that I'd ever fall
One night I've bet all my money nothing was left to be seen
All I needed to break them was one card and that was a Queen
The cards were delt round the table each man took a card on the draw
And I drew the card that would beat them I turned it here's what I saw
I saw mother's picture and somehow she seemed to say
Son you roken your promise so I threw those cards away
My winnings I gave to a newsboy I knew I was wrong from the start
Well I'll never forget that promise to mother the Queen of my heart
**********
8.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE NERVE
(Hank Thompson - Billy Gray)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
**********
9.
AT THE RAINBOW'S END
(Bob Nolan)
« © '52 Music Of The West, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »
I've traveled this whole world over and now I'm going down to the rainbow's end
No friends no home I'm just a traveling alone on my way to the rainbow's end
I'm weary and tired but I don't care I'm going down to the rainbow's end
From twilight till dawn I'm trudging on and on on my way to the rainbow's end
[ steel ]
They say there are treasures of silver and gold
That's burried down by the rainbow's end
But the treasure I find will bring me real peace of mind
When I come to the rainbow's end
For someone is waiting there all alone so I will know at the rainbow's end
How it feels to be pressed to an angel's breast when I come to the rainbow's end
**********
10.
GREEN LIGHT
(Hank Thompson)
« © '47 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
I turn your hole card upside down
I caught you cheatin' and runnin' around
There's a smile upon your face while another takes my place
And now at last dear the truth I'd found
Babe there's the green light you're free to go
You'll take a high road I'll take the low
Here's your coat and shoes and don't forget your blues
You're on canoe now you'll have to row
[ fiddle - guitar ]
Babe there's the green light shift your gear
I know you fooled me for all these years
I'll hold my head up high and forget you by and by
And there'll be laughter instead of tears
[ steel ]
Babe there's the green light kick up your heels
There'll come a day you know how it feels
To have your aces trump and be taken for a chump
Now there's the green light so spin your wheels
**********
11.
RUB-A-DUB-DUB
(Hank Thompson)
« © '52 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
Once upon a time in a nursery rhyme three little men got lost
Like you and me they couldn't agree and upon the way they tossed
I'll sing their tune cause I got my roon with the love I can't forget
Now the three little men just took me in on an ocean of regret
With a rub-a-dub-dub three men in the tub lost on the ocean blue
I roll like a hub singin' rub-a-dub-dub cause you're broke my heart in two
[ fiddle ]
Well I can't reach to shore and my heart is sore and I'm driftin' far away
From the love I had I'm feelin' mighty bad and I can't go on this way
Won't you throw out the line and say you're mine and take me back again
Cause my heart is broke and there ain't no joke won't you reach and pull me in
With a rub-a-dub-dub...
[ steel ]
Well I knew right away there'd never come a day when I'd reach the land again
The one I adore in the distant shore is now at ranbow's end
With the three little guys I turn my eyes won't you tell your names to me
The ones that fate the ones that hate and the others that jealousy
With a rub-a-dub-dub...
**********
12.
SIMPLE SIMON SIMPLE HEART
(Hank Thompson - Billy Gray - Bud Auge)
« © '54 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »
Simple simon simple heart you met a girlie at the fair
Miss your timin' simple heart when you thought that she could care
Simple simon you're not smart she gave her love to someone new
Simple simon simple heart oh what a lesson you guessen what to do
Shame oh shame true to your name you had to tag along
You didn't know it was a game couldn't tell that it was wrong
Simple simon simple heart let me tell you what to do
Simple simon simple heart now you'd better forget her like she forgot you
[ guitar - fiddle ]
Simple simon simple heart you never went to school
Here's your rhymein' simple heart she forgot the golden rule
Simple simon you'd be smart to be stubborn like a mule
Simple simon you're the sort to be taken mistaken for a fool
Shame oh shame...
**********