John Prine

[fox69]

"Morning Train"

"Morning Train"



I saw you
All dolled up
Singing a song in your pickup truck
You put me on a morning train
You put me on a morning train
Ain't no need to explain
You put me on a morning train

Hey, Hey, Brother Ray
What'd you mean by "what'd I say"
You put me on a morning train

You put me on a morning train
Ain't no need to explain
You put me on a morning train

If it's gonna rain
And I wish that it would
Just go ahead and rain
Get it over for good
If there's really a hole in that big blue sky
Then move it on over and let me by

Constantinople is a mighty long word
Got three more letters than mockingbird
You put me on a morning train

You put me on a morning train
Ain't no need to explain
You put me on a morning train

I like you with your make-up on
All dolled up
Singing a song
You put me on a morning train

You put me on a morning train
Ain't no need to explain
You put me on a morning train

 

[fox69]

"My Darlin' Hometown"

"My Darlin' Hometown"



Far away over the sea
There's a river that's calling to me
That river she runs all around
The place that I call my hometown

There's a valley on the side of the hill
And flowers on an old windowsill
A familiar old picture it seems
And I'll go there tonight in my dreams

Where it's green in the summer
And gold in the fall
Her eyes are as blue
As the sky I recall

Far away over the sea
There's a place at the table for me
Where laughter and music abound
Just waiting there in my hometown

The river she freezes
When there's snow on the ground
And the children can slide
To the far side of town

Far away far away me
Hung up on a sweet memory
I'm lost and I wish I were found
In the arms of my darlin' hometown

With the evening sun sittin'
On the top of the hill
And the mockingbird answering
The old chapel bell

Far away over the sea
My heart is longing to be
And I wish I could lay myself down
In the arms of my darlin' hometown

 

[fox69]

"My Own Best Friend"

"My Own Best Friend"


I'm beginning to like you
But, you know that ain't right
'Cause you'll just twist and twist and twist
Till I'm all crooked inside

Then you'll take all you gave me
Like it never was there
And I think that I might, No! I know
Yes, I will help you there
'Cause...

[Chorus:]
I've done it before
And I'd do it again
'Cause it's the only time
That makes me feel like I'm
My own best friend

I'm a victim of friction I just got too close to see
Yeah, we sparked in the dark and God hung a light on me
And the lamp gets real heavy and it hangs from my heart
And it comes, and it goes
Till I can't tell the difference apart
But...

[Chorus]

So many people say
It'll never work out that way
You can't stand the heat
While you're watching your heart
Just melt away in the basement
On a rainy day
La la la
La la la
La lala
Lalala la lalaaaaaaaaaa...

There's motel in Shreveport
Don't ask me where, please
They check in, they check out
By the light of the color TV's
And the maid calls you honey
And she makes your bed slow
And she speaks, of the sheets that don't fit
But you know that she knows
That...

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"New Train"

"New Train"



Full blown silence in an empty room
A former bride and a former groom
A folding table and a folding chair
A folded hand of poker there
All new directions must go everywhere
Big round people in a cool little square
You can't cut it with a boat or a plane
Man it's gonna take a new train

You'll be leaving on a new train
Far away from this world of pain
And when you look out your window you'll see
Your home your baby and your family
No melted ice cube in a paper cup
Hell you'll be happy you'll be all shook up
The friends that greet you will be
Simple and plain
When you step down from that new train

Collected volumes of history say
Man makes mistakes most everyday
The half a pound of chopped ground round
Is still a burger when it goes downtown
No faded photographs of yesterdays
Are in the books that I read these days
To fly away from that memory town
You must keep both your feet on the ground

Cause you'll be leaving on a new train
Far away from this world of pain
And when you look out your window you'll see
Your home your baby and your family
No melted ice cube in a paper cup
Hell you'll be happy you'll be all shook up
The friends that greet you will be
Simple and plain
When you step down from that new train

I'll be leaving on a new train
Far away from this world of pain
The friends that greet me will be
Simple and plain
When I step down from that new train
New train, new train.

 

[fox69]

"Nine Pound Hammer"

"Nine Pound Hammer"


This nine pound hammer
Is a little too heavy
Buddy for my size
Buddy for my size
So I'm going on the mountain
Just to see my baby
And I ain't coming back
No I ain't coming back

[Chorus:]
Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
Well, tell me how can I roll
When the wheels won't go
Roll on buddy
Pull you load of coal
Tell me how can I pull
When the wheels won't roll

It's a long way to Harlan
It's a long way to Hazard
Just to get a little brew
Just to get a little brew

And when I'm long gone
You can make my tombstone
Out of number nine coal
Out of number nine coal

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"No Name Girl"

"No Name Girl"


I got a girl that ain't got no home
She ain't very fat just skin and bones
She don't cast no shadow because she's so thin
Never knows where she going but she knows were she's been
She Never knows where she going but she knows were she's been

The girl I love ain't got no name
But I love her just the same
She's a little peculiar but it ain't no sin
She never know where she going but know were she's been
She never knows where she going but she knows were she's been
Never know where she going but she knows were she's been

[Instrumental]

She's six feet tall and got long black hair
Runs around in her sack dress but I don't care
She got great big feet with size number 10
She never know where she going but know were she's been
She never know where she going but know were she's been

[Instrumental]

The girl I love ain't got no name
But I love her just the same
She's a little peculiar but it ain't no sin
She never know where she going but know were she's been
She never knows where she going but she knows were she's been
She never know where she going but know were she's been
She never knows where she going but she knows were she's been
She never know where she going but know were she's been
She never knows where she going but she knows were she's been
She never know where she going
She never knows where she going
She never know where she going
She never knows where she going
She never know where she going now
But she know were she's been Ugh...
She never know where she going
Never know where she going
But I know were she's been.

 

[fox69]

"Often Is A Word I Seldom Use"

"Often Is A Word I Seldom Use"


I know that you're sad
I know that you're lonely
You lie awake 'till way past when
I want you to know
That I'm leaving you only
'cause I might not get the chance again.

[Chorus:]
I'm cold and I'm tired
And I can't stop coughing
Long enough to tell you all of the news
I'd like to tell you
That I'll see you more often
But often is a word I seldom use
Often is a word I seldom use.

Tell me, where did the weekend go?
Tell me, where did the weekend go?
Went like thunder, felt like snow.
Went like thunder, felt like snow.

You must think my life's a circus
Watching me laughing
And slapping my thighs
How'd ya like to die
In the house of mirrors
With nobody around to close your eyes.

[Chorus]

Going down to the Greyhound station
Going back home
And get what's mine
Got me a date
With the ten o'clock special
Gonna be there at a quarter to nine.

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Old Cape Cod"

"Old Cape Cod"



How old do you think I am? he said.
I said, well, I didnt know.
He said, I turned 65 about 11 months ago.

I was sittin in miami pourin blended whiskey down
When this old gray black gentleman was cleanin up the lounge

There wasnt anyone around cept this old man and me
The guy who ran the bar was watchin ironsides on tv
Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children and watermelon wine

Ever had a drink of watermelon wine? he asked
He told me all about it, though I didnt answer back
Aint but three things in this world thats worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

He said, women think about they-selves, when menfolk aint around.
And friends are hard to find when they discover that youre down.
He said, I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime;
Now its old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes;
God bless little children while theyre still too young to hate.
When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line
Bout old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

I had to catch a plane up to atlanta that next day
As I left for my room I saw him pickin up my change
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

 

[fox69]

"Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine"

"Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine"



Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine
"How old do you think I am," he said?
I said, well, I didn't know.
He said, "I turned 65 about 11 months ago."

I was sittin' in Miami, pouring blended whiskey down
When this old gray, black gentleman was cleaning up the lounge.

There wasn't anyone around, except this old man and me.
The guy who ran the bar was watching Ironside on TV.
Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine," he asked.
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back.
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

He said, "Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around.
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down."
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime,
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

"Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes.
God bless little children while they're still to young to hate."
When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line
About old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day.
As I left for my room I saw him picking up my change.
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime,
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

 

[fox69]

"Old Rugged Cross"

"Old Rugged Cross"



On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.