Porter Wagoner Album

A small town in Kentucky that's called Hazzard
Has been known to lay some talent on this land
Gave birth to a group that's really happening Eli Stubbs and his Funky Grass Band
The Funky Grass Band hits the stage a grinnin' their pickin' really turns a body on
Now I wouldn't say the band makes too much money
Cause they been seen a smokin' roll-you-home
Yellow bus come reelin' down the highway headin' for another one night stand
With the women screemin' faint throw their babies
At Eli Stubbs and his Funky Grass Band
[ el.banjo - fiddle ]
Now Eli's a little older and short and stubby and he's bald as an eagle in the back
But he kept it hid from all the friends and neighbors
The one night the band got high and smoked his hat
Now Eli bought himself a brand new toupet
It was long and shaggy and sorta orangey red
One night the fiddle player was a dancin' to the microphone
And pulled the rug clean off of Eli's head
Yellow bus come reelin' down...
[ el.banjo - fiddle ]
One night they was a traveling through the Ozarks and Eli had to answer nature's call
He told the driver to find a filling station I gotta see a man about a dog
He drove on for miles around the mountain Eli hollered hey stop right here
Driver pulled too close to the canyon and Eli almost ended his career
Yellow bus come reelin' down...
Oh get it Eli son crank it crank it crank it Eli

I remember daddy playing the Wildwood Flower
When we'd gather round the parlor of our home
Uncle Wesley played the fiddle and John R played the banjo
We'd pick and sing sometimes all night long
Mama played the upright piano and I guess it must've been a thing to hear
All the neighbors gathered round they loved that country sound
And it was surely music to our ears
And that's how I learnt to love good old country music
There's somethin' about it close to my soul
I'm so glad everyone is lovin' good old country music
It's the music of the country and this country is my home
( ac.guitar )
Many nights I went to bed without sleepin' just a listenin' to our beatup radio
I held the groundwire tight just to get a strain or two of a faroff song from Del Rio
Oh it faded in and out through the stand but it made me dream of seeing Tennessee
And the greatest thrill of all was to see those hallowed halls
The Mother Church the Grand Ole Opry
And that's how I learnt...
( el.banjo )
And that's how I learnt...

(Attention please Southbound bus loading Gate No 8
All aboard for Willow Springs Taboule Rogersville Paskanaw Ravanden
Belaford Johnsborro Marktree and Memphis all aboard South all aboard please)
I drive for the bus line to all points south I drive
Guess I've heard a million stories from the folks that ride
Have your tickets ready please and don't forget to check your grid
And I'm a leavin' on another one of my hurried southern trips
These big wheels roll in the heat and the cold
When the thunder and the lightenin' whips
And the folks that ride got a reason to ride on a hurried southern trips

With a tear filled eyes a young girl got on board at Willow Springs
She was bearing child and I didn't see a ring
I'm on my way to Memphis she said through trembling lips
At the unwed mother's home I'll end up my hurried southern trip
A man stepped aboard in Memphis said do you remember me
I rode here with you to Luthportworth in 1953
And I've been in prison all these years cause I made one bad slip
And I took him home to Rogersville on a hurried southern trip
These big wheels roll in...

A soldier boy said hello Joe it's been a long long time
Do you still make a special stop and the Shannon County Line
It wasn't long till we were there to meet the folks he'd missed
Tears of joy filled every eye on that hurried southern trip
These big wheels roll in...
(We will change buses here ladies and gentlemen for all point stops
Be sure that you conform your reservation be sure to check your baggage and babies
For Birmingham Knoxville Charlotte Gatlinsburg Curbville Mobile)

The past ten years just flashed before my eyes I remember the day my daddy died
He left mom four boys and three-year old Ginny Lou
She got sick and we almost lost her too
Times were rough even when dad was here but things got worse year after year
Six years ago mom married again and that's when our troubles really began
Jim Johnson was the name of our step-pa he was the meanest man I'd ever saw
He mistreated mom and all of us kids and I swore some day he'd pay each time he did
Never had enough clothes for school but we'd go we'd go home early because of snow
And almost freeze to death fore we got there
Jim bought booze instead of shoes for us to wear
One summer we found six kittens with our old cat
Jim made us put 'em all in a gunny sack
And throw 'em in the river with rocks inside
Jim just stood there and laughed while we all cried
Jim started watchin' Ginny Lou when she just turned thirteen
Then late one night I heard Ginny scream
I run and got the shotgun and grabbed a shell
And I pulled the trigger and Jim Johnson fell
I knew that someday it would come to this
I knew that he'd try to put his hands on sis
When people hear my story they'll understand
They'll know that what I killed was not a man
They'll know Jim Johnson was not a man

Things seem to worsen as time goes along we stand bewildered and ask what is wrong
We say it's a pity but that's not enough we've asked a question and the answer is love
The answer is love to all of the problems we face
We can't solve our problems still we rid out hearts of hate
We can't fight our brothers and get blessings from above
We have asked a question and the answer is love
[ steel ]
People are hungry with no clothes to wear how can they survive if nobody cares
Still we've refused them when they turn to us that's not the answer the answer is love
The answer is love...
We have asked a question and the answer is love

A wino we called Charley had a picture that he wore around his neck upon a chain
But you couldn't see the face in Charley's picture
Just long brown hair and a poem in the frame
We tried and tried to see old Charley's picture
But we couldn't even tempt him with the wine
His shaking hands would tightly grip the picture
And he'd recite the poem one more time
You grace this frame the picture of affection
While I'm the perfect picture of disgrace
And upon your name I'll swear until I'm worthy
I forbid my eyes to look upon your face

Old Charley froze to death one Sunday morning
We found him and I guess you know the rest
Someone removed the poem from his picture
And the chilling truth lay framed upon his chest
As I knelt beside his body the picture lay there before my anxious eyes
And with trembling lips I whispered the words of Charley's poem
As I stared into the face of Jesus Christ
You grace this frame...

If there ever was an angel then surely you must be one
If there ever was a perfect love when I look at you I see one
If there's heaven on earth then this must surely be
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
The last thing I remember before I go to sleep
Is the touch of your sweet lips softly kissing me
And I go to sleep a thinking how happy you make me
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
And when it's time to lay me down for my eternal sleep
Once more let your fingers softly touch my cheek
If I know that you have touched me then I can sleep in peace
And I want you to be the last one to touch me
And when the night is over and time will be no more
They say that we shall meet again upon the golden shore
And so when I awaken from my eternal sleep
I want you to be the first one to touch me
I want you to be the first the last the only one to touch me

I know that you could have more than a poor hard workin' man
I love you and I need you and I ask you for your hand
And my calloused hands will work for you from sunup to sundown
If only you'll accept me as simple as I am
I speak to you with simple words I know no fancy lines
I am just a simple man who wants you to be mine
I cannot offer diamonds just a simple golden band
And I hope that you'll accept me as simple as I am
( fiddle )
I cannot promise riches love is all I can afford
But I can promise you no one else can love you more
And I can promise you I'll never let you down
If only you'll accept me as simple as I am
I speak to you...
I hope that you'll accept me as simple as I am

THE FIRE'S STILL BURNING
(Dolly Parton - Dorothy Jo Hope)
« © '71 Owepar Publishing »

Familiar sounds tell me it's morning the night has been so dark and long
Each night without you just gets longer
While this torch I still carry just burns stronger
I know I never will stop loving you my tears just can't put out the flame
Or drown my hope of your returning cause baby the fire's still burning
Wherever you are I hope you're happy although your love for me has died
But if you ever need or want me I'll take you back any time
I know I never will...

I drifted into Arkansas in the middle of September
I hadn't planned to stay for long just to visit an old friend that I remembered
Quite surprised he asked if I could stay till late October
And help him with his crops till harvest time was over
He offered me a clean white bed said that I was welcome at his table
But I told him that I'd eat outside bed down in the barn above the stables
I told him that I didn't want to be no trouble to his lovely wife
But he didn't know she was the reason that I'd come cause I loved her more than life
Oh Melinda I just had to see you one more time Melinda
I won't cause you any trouble with my stay
Oh Melinda I just had to see you one more time Melinda
One more time Melinda then I'll go away

Melinda it's so good to see you happy I had always hoped you would be
I know you couldn't help it that you loved him more than you love me
I know he's a good man and he's always been a friend of mine
And I think the world of both of you and I just had to see you one more time
Oh Melinda...
One more time Melinda then I'll go away