THE OLD MAN
WAS COVERED
WITH TATTOOS AND SCARS
HE GOT SOME IN PRISON
AND OTHERS IN BARS
THE REST HE GOT
WORKIN' ON
OLD JUNK CARS
IN THE DAYTIME
THEY LOOKED LIKE
TOMBSTONES
IN OUR YARD
AND I NEVER SEEN HIM
WHEN HE WASN'T TIRED
AND MEAN
HE SOLD USED PARTS
TO MAKE ENDS MEET
COVERED WITH GREASE
FROM HIS HEAD
TO HIS FEET
CUSSIN' THE SWEAT
AND THE TEXAS HEAT
AND MOSQUITERS
AND THE NEIGHBORS SAID
WE LIVED LIKE HICKS
BUT THEY BRUNG
THEIR CARS
FOR PA TO FIX
ANYHOW
HE WAS VETERAN-PROUD
TRIED AND TRUE
HE'D FOUGHT
'TIL HIS HEART
WAS BLACK AND BLUE
DIDN'T KNOW HOW
HE'D MADE IT THROUGH
THE HARD TIMES
HE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE
ON THE G.I. BILL
BUT IT WASN'T WORTH
ALL HE HAD TO KILL
TO GET IT
HE DRANK PEARL
IN A CAN
AND JACK DANIELS BLACK
CHEWED TOBACCO
FROM A MAIL POUCH
SACK
HAD AN OLD DOG
THAT WAS TRAINED
TO ATTACK
SOMETIMES
HE'D GET DRUNK
AND MEAN
AS A RATTLESNAKE
AND THERE WADN'T
TOO MUCH
THAT HE WOULD TAKE
FROM A STRANGER
THERE WERE
THIRTEEN KIDS
AND A BUNCH OF DOGS
A HOUSE
FULL OF CHICKENS
AND A YARD FULL OF HOGS
I SPENT
THE SUMMERTIME
CUTTIN' UP LOGS
FOR THE WINTER
TRYIN' LIKE THE DEVIL
TO FIND THE LORD
WORKIN' LIKE A DIGGER
FOR MY ROOM AND BOARD
COAL-BURNIN' STOVE
NO NATURAL GAS
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
I'LL KISS YOUR ASS
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
IT'LL HAIRLIP THE POPE
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
IT'S A DAMN GOOD JOKE
I'VE SEEN THE
GRAND OLE OPRY
AND I'VE MET
JOHNNY CASH
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
I'LL KISS YOUR ASS
4 BAR
BREAK
MAMA SELLS EGGS
AT A GROCERY STORE
MY OLDEST SISTER'S
A FIRST-RATE WHORE AN'
DAD SAYS SHE CAN'T
COME HOME ANYMORE
AND HE MEANS IT
MA JUST SITS
AND KEEPS HER SILENCE
SISTER SHE LEFT
'CAUSE DAD GOT VIOLENT
AND HE KNOWS IT
MAMA SHE'S OLD
FAR BEYOND HER TIME
FROM CHOPPING
TOBACCO
AND I'VE SEEN HER
CRYIN'
WHEN BLOOD
STARTED FLOWIN'
FROM HER
CALLOUSED HAND
IT HURT ME
SHE'D JUST KEEP WORKIN'
TRYIN' TO HELP
THE OLD MAN
TO THE END OF ONE ROW
AND BACK AGAIN
LIKE ALWAYS
SHE'S BEEN THROUGH HELL
SINCE JUNIOR
WENT TO JAIL
WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
SHE AIN'T NEVER FAILED
TO GET DOWN
ON HER KNEES AND PRAY
BECAUSE SHE LOVES HIM
TOLD ALL THE NEIGHBORS
HE WAS OFF IN THE WAR
FIGHTIN' FOR FREEDOM
HE'S GOOD TO THE CORE
AND SHE'S PROUD
NOW OUR PLACE
WAS A GRAVEYARD
FOR AUTOMOBILES
AT THE END OF THE PORCH
THERE WAS FOUR STACKS
OF WHEELS
AND TIRES FOR SALE
FOR A DOLLAR OR TWO
CASH
THERE WAS FIFTY HOLES
IN OUR OLD TIN ROOF
ME AND MY FAMILY
WAS LIVIN' PROOF
THE PEOPLE WHO FORGOT
ABOUT POOR WHITE TRASH
AND IF THAT AIN'T
COUNTRY
I'LL KISS YOUR ASS
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
IT'LL HAIRLIP THE POPE
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
IT'S A DAMN GOOD JOKE
I'VE SEEN
THE GRAND OLE OPRY
AND I'VE MET
JOHNNY CASH
IF THAT AIN'T COUNTRY
I'LL KISS YOUR ASS
I'M THINKING TONIGHT
OF MY BLUE EYES
CONCERNING
THE GREAT
SPECKLED BIRD
I DIDN'T KNOW
GOD MADE
HONKY-TONK ANGELS
AND WENT BACK
TO THE WILD
SIDE OF LIFE