1.

(# 9 country hit)

These Lonely Hands Of Mine

Lamar Morris - Charles Norrell

© Acuff-Rose Music, BMI

Any girl who hangs out in a honky tonk
Who smokes my cigarettes and drinks my wine
Some call her a bad girl but to me she means the world
Cause she's holding these lonely hands of mine

She listens while I cry on her shoulder
She runs her slender fingers through my hair
Other men may hold her tight but right now tonight
She's holding these lonely hands of mine

She's holding the hands that once held you so tight
She smiles each time I call her by name
She listens to my same sad story every night
She says I'm right and she gives you the blame

Any girl who hangs out in a honky tonk...
Holding these lonely hands of mine

**********

2.

Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town

Mel Tillis

© Cedarwood Pub, BMI

You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby are you contemplating going out somewhere
The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town

It wasn't me that started that old crazy Asian war
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chores
And yes it's true I'm not the man that I used to be
Oh but Ruby I still need some company

It's hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralized
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age Ruby I realize
But it won't be long I've heard them say until I'm not around
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town

She's leaving now cause I just heard the slamming of the door
The way I know I've heard it slam one hundred times before
And if I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town
Ruby for God sake's turn around

**********

3.

(# 17 country hit)

Something Special

Ray Griff

© Blue Echo Music, ASCAP

I've been a lot of places and I've seen a lot of faces
I've crossed a lot of bridges and I've even branded through
But when I look behind me the only thing that blinds me
Is a tear that I cry over you

Cause you are something special to me
Something special as can be
There'll never be another I could love so tenderly
Cause you're something special to me
[ instrumental ]
My life is like a highway with many different byways
I've turned a lot of corners haven't missed a lot of signs
I trade all my tomorrows if only I could borrow
Just a day or two when you were mine

Cause you are something special to me...
Something special to me

**********

4.

I Haven't Seen Mary In Years

Damon Black

© Sawgrass Music, BMI

While walking one day in the country I saw a gathering crowd
And as my footsteps threw me closer I smell a sweet fragrance of flowers
That looked like a family reunion and my eyes not counted the tears
And the no man said by the graveside I haven't seen Mary in years

Hold my hand and leave me leave me away from here
I just brought these flowers for Mary I haven't seen Mary in years

When Mary and I were first married we had such plans for our child
But for no reason I started rambling and like the four winds I just ran wild
If I could just live my life over I would bring Mary such cheers
Now she's gone where she'll never need me I haven't seen Mary in years

Hold my hand and leave me leave me away from here
I just brought these flowers for Mary I haven't seen Mary in years

Then the old man left the graveyard and I walked along by his side
I called out his name but through all his shame his son he did not recognize

Hold my hand and leave me leave me away from here
How could I know it was mama I haven't seen mama in years

**********

5.

(# 26 country hit)

All Right (I'll Sign The Papers)

Mel Tillis

© Cedarwood Pub, BMI

I've tried so hard to keep our home alive
But you don't even care that I'm around
You tell me that somehow our love has died
And you'd rather be set free than be tied down

All right I'll sign the papers
Even though you know I love you so
All right I'll sign the papers
But oh how it hurts to see you go
[ instrumental ]
I've laid awake at nights when you were gone
And thought of all the things that I could do
To try and make you happy when you come home
But the more I try the more you make me blue

All right I'll sign the papers...

**********

6.

(# 10 country hit)

Who's Julie

Wayne Carson

© Earl Barton Music, BMI

Cross the table over coffee just this morning
My woman caught me by surprise without a warning
She said honey you talked in your sleep
And then she began to weep
And she said tell me now and tell me truly who's Julie

With a blank look on my face I searched my mind
For an answer or excuse of some kind
But the words wouldn't come and my mind was blank
Slowly my head just sank
When she said honey you know I love you truly but who's Julie

Oh Julie what's this hold you've got on me
On my mind in my dreams you know you shouldn't be there Julie

I'd like to say Julie's just a friend of mine
But I know that would not satisfy your mind
You see Julie gave me something you did not
She remembered what you forgot
And honey I'm sorry I have to tell you so cruely
But now you know and don't you ever ask me again who's Julie mhm

**********

7.

(# 15 country hit)

Old Faithful

Mel Tillis

© Cedarwood Pub, BMI

I always called her old faithful
She was always there when I came home
And I never thought the day would come she'd leave me
But for me those kind of thinking days are gone

Cause old faithful ain't faithful anymore
She's stepping out to even up the score
She's out there where the lights are bright
Wineing dining every night
And old faithful ain't faithful anymore
[ instrumental ]
Night after night she sits waitin'
Just to touch the fool that she loves so
But now for her those waiting days are over
For absence makes the warmest heart grow cold

Cause old faithful ain't faithful...
And old faithful ain't faithful anymore

**********

8.

Goodbye Wheeling

Mel Tillis

© Cedarwood Pub, BMI

Well I've been reeling around Wheeling
West Virginia just a little too long
Well I gotta be leaving cause one deceiving
Free wheeling woman done me wrong

And it's goodbye Wheeling West Virginia
No I don't guess I'll settle down
Since she don't need me Lord I can't see me
Any longer hanging round this old town

Cause I've got a feeling that I've been concealing
Many thoughts about traveling on
Cause things ain't grooving so I'd better be a moving
When you wake up in the morning
Big Wheeling I'm gonna be gone gone gone
[ instrumental ]
Well it's goodbye Wheeling West Virginia...
Cause I've got a feeling that I've been concealing...

Goodbye Wheeling I said goodbye Wheeling
Bye bye so long oh goodbye Wheeling

**********

9.

(# 11 country hit)

Life Turned Her That Way

Harlan Howard

© Wilderness Music, BMI

If she seems cold and bitter I beg of you
Just stop and consider all she's gone through
Don't be quick to condemn her for things she might say
Just remember life turned her that way

She's been stepped on and walked on so many times
And I hate to admit it but that last footprint's mine
She was crying when I met her she cries harder today
So don't blame her life turned her that way
[ instrumental ]
She's been stepped on and walked on so many times...

**********

10.

(# 31 country hit)

Destroyed By Man

Red Hayes

© Sawgrass Music, BMI

There's a girl in a barroom we all know her well
Her name fits the stories that some men like to tell
She may be young and pretty with lips red as wine
A girl who's eyes reflect the years no makeup can hide

In her world walk the lonely the rejected and condemned
It's a world that once entered there's no turning back again
Like a rose that lies crushed and crumpled on the sand
She was created by heaven now destroyed by man

Destroyed by man and the love that she gave
Lost unless heaven counts her worthy to save
Men don't respect her still they hold her hand
She was created by heaven now destroyed by man

**********

11.

(# 17 country hit)

Stateside

Mel Tillis

© Cedarwood Pub, BMI

Well the Japany's moon is bright tonight and Tokio is full of life
Busy people everywhere but busy people just don't care
I wanna go stateside oh Lord I wanna go stateside

In and out the honky tonks but nothing's there I really want
Sat awhile then look around get up and leave and walk the town
I wanna go stateside oh Lord I wanna go stateside

The geisha girls don't understand the lonely life of a service man
When his heart is far away to a girl in the USA
I wanna go stateside oh Lord I wanna go stateside

I've heard say a man don't cry but I can't keep my blue eyes dry
I've been away about two years I know I've cried a million tears
I wanna go stateside oh Lord I wanna go stateside
Oh Lord I wanna go stateside

**********