Johnny Cash

[fox69]

"Casey Jones"

"Casey Jones"



Come all you rounders if you wanna hear the story about a brave engineer
Casey Jones was the roller's name on a 68 wheeler course he won his fame
Caller called Casey bout half past four he kissed his wife at the station door
He climbed in the cabin with his orders in his hand
Said this is the trip to the Promised Land
Casey Jones climbed in the cabin Casey Jones orders in his hand
Casey Jones leanin' out the window taking a trip to the Promised Land

Through South Memphis Yards on a fly rain been a fallin' and the water was high
Everybody knew by the engine's moan that the man at the throttle was Casey Jones
Well Jones said fireman now don't you fret Sam Webb said we ain't a givin' up yet
We're eight hours late with the southbound mail
We'll be on time or we're leavin' the rails
Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...

Dead on the rail was a passenger train blood was a boilin' in Casey's brain
Casey said hey now look out ahead jump Sam jump or we'll all be dead
With a hand on a whistle and a hand on a brake north Mississippi was wide awake
I see railroad official said he's a good engineer to be a laying dead
Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...

Headaches and heartaches and all kinds of pain all the part of a railroad train
Sweat and toil the good and the grand part of the life of a railroad man
Casey Jones climbed in the cabin...

 

[fox69]

"Casey's Last Ride"

"Casey's Last Ride"



Casey joins the hollow sound of silent people walking down
The stairway to the subway in the shadows down below
Following the footsteps through the neon-darkened corridors
Of silent desperation, never speakin' to a soul

The poisoned air he's breathin' has the dirty smell of dyin'
'Cause it's never seen the sunshine and it's never felt the rain
But Casey minds the arrows and ignores the fatal echoes
Of the clickin' of the turnstile and the rattle of his chain

"Oh," she said, "Casey it's been so long since I've seen you"
"Here," she said, "just a kiss to make a body smile"
"See," she said, "I've put on new stockings just to please you"
"Lord," she said, "Casey can you only stay a while"

Casey leaves the underground and stops inside the Golden Crown
For something wet to wipe away the chill that's on his bones
Seein' his reflection in the lives of all the lonely men
Who reach for anything they can to keep from goin' home

Standing in the corner, Casey drinks his pint of bitter
Never glancin' in the mirror at the people passin' by
Then he stumbles as he's leaving and he wonders if the reason
Is the beer that's in his belly or the tear that's in his eye

"Oh!" she said, "I suppose you seldom think about me"
"Now," she said, "now that you've a family of your own"
"Still," she said, "it's so blessed good to feel your body"
"Lord," she said, "Casey it's a shame to be alone!"

 

[fox69]

"Cat's In The Cradle"
(originally by Harry Chapin)

"Cat's In The Cradle"
(originally by Harry Chapin)



A child arrived the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay,
He learned to walk while I was away,
And he was talking 'fore I knew it.
And as he grew he'd say, "I'm gonna be like you dad,
You know I'm gonna be like you."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home dad? "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then,
You know we'll have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day,
He said, "Thanks for the ball come on let's play,
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's okay."
He walked away but his smile never dimmed,
He said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah, you know I'm gonna be like him."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home dad? "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then,
You know we'll have a good time then."

Well he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while."
He shook his head and then he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys,
See you later can I have them please."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home son? "I don't know when,
But we'll have a good time then dad,
You know we'll have a good time then."

I've long since retired my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day,
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to dad if I could find the time,
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you dad,
It's been sure nice talking to you."

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me, my boy was just like me.

 

[fox69]

"Ceiling, Four Walls And A Floor"

"Ceiling, Four Walls And A Floor"



His daddy said son you oughta quit dreamin'
Put your feet on the ground and your future in the hands of the Lord
But the boy said no that ain't enough dad
All you got here is a ceilin' four walls and a floor

He left his home in Buckalou County
He went thumbin' and sleepin' on the roadside livin' in jeans
Along about Pittsburgh he got him a good job
Bought him a brand new Malibu Chevy that was part of his dreams

He met a pretty girl she was thinkin' of a family
He bought a lotta tapes for his Malibu Chevy but he didn't want more
And the pretty girl said boy you oughta slow down
He said who needs a ceilin' four walls and a floor

He did a little drinkin' he did a little gamblin'
Shot a little nine ball bet a little money on the football games
He picked up a habit he got it on the sidewalk
His habit got bigger but his weekly paycheck stayed the same

His daddy wrote letters but he never answered
The pretty girl begged him to give up the habit and to work on a change
It was a real small gun and a real small robbery
They locked him up and they traded him a number for his name

It ain't no big news it ain't no big story
You didn't see it in the paper so I guess we oughta put it in a song
The boy got hooked and he couldn't get unhooked
And it's happenin' somewhere now and maybe that's what's wrong

His daddy said son you oughta quit dreamin'...

 

[fox69]

"Chain Gang"

"Chain Gang"



I was just a kid roamin' around
Travelin' through, a little ol' town
A man walked up and said come with me
You're broke and son that's vagrancy

A carefree lad that love to roam
But Lord I wish I'd stayed at home
The way it looks I'll probably hang
'Cause there ain't no hope on a chain gang

I dig that ditch, I chop that corn
I curse the day that I was born
I believe it's better for a man to hang
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang

The guard stands there with a great big gun
I bet he'd love to see me run
And I guess, I probably will some day
I'd rather be dead than to live this way

He's well fed and he's six foot tall
And he's a meanest of them all
He cracks that whip and he swings that cane
That sun must've touched his brain

I dig that ditch, I chop that corn
I curse the day that I was born
I believe it's better for a man to hang
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang

I got a gal back home that's sweet and kind
But she's been waitin' a long, long time
I just told her to forget my name
I won't ever live down the shame

Lord, deliver me from this hole
Before I lose my mind and soul
The flesh gets weak and the back gets broke
There ain't no 'cause to laugh and joke

I dig that ditch, I chop that corn
I curse the day that I was born
I believe it's better for a man to hang
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang

Work like a dog on a chain gang
Work like a dog on a chain gang
Work like a dog on a chain gang

 

[fox69]

"Chattanooga City Limit Sign"

"Chattanooga City Limit Sign"



I was thumbin' a ride one Saturday mornin'
Outta Nashville totin' my sack
I lent my car to a gal that lived in Chattanooga
And she hadn't never brought it back
She was drinkin' pretty heavy when I let her have it
I hope she knows it was only a loan
Ain't no tellin' what I might have told her back at the time
But that ole car was also my home

About five miles out I was gettin' kinda tired
Sweatin' hard and feelin' kinda weak
I woke up with no cigarettes and nothin' to drink
And I hadn't had a bite to eat
My nerves was so quick I couldn't tell where I was shakin'
Then a set of brakes sang my song
Some fella stuck his head out a '57 Chevy
And hollered hey man come on

I told 'em I was headin' down to Chattanooga
They said hop in we're goin' there too
And the way they took off in a cloud of smoke
I still ain't believin' it was true
They had their windows down and I was sittin' in the back
With my tongue still hung in my throat
He was hittin' just about a hundred and ten
And he said man what you think of this boat

Well there was two semi's a strugglin' up ahead
One tryin' to pass the other
They had the whole road blocked so he passed 'em on the right
And let me tell you somethin' brother
I was so nervous that my teeth was clickin'
There wadn't no way my head could think
Then the one that was sittin' on the passanger side
Turned and said hey man you want somethin' to drink

I just shook my head cause I couldn't talk
He said okay and then he said cheers
Them fools was drinkin' whiskey and wine
And chasin' it down with beer
Well I started sweatin' that ol' sticky sweat
And I know I was white as a sheep
Then one turned the radio on wide open
And said hey man check that beat

By the time we reached the top of Monteagle
I thought I heard a rumblin' sound
And then I saw a sign that said fallin' rock
And right there I was floorboard bound
I was rollin' and squirmin' on the ol' floorboard
Too weak to sit or stand
And then the driver said we're doin' a hundred and twenty
Look here man no hands

I got up enough nerve to raise up and look
And by now there couldn't be no surprise
But his hair was blowin' all over my face
And dandruff blowed in both eyes
He never did drive on the right or left
He just kept on ridin' that line
I rubbed my eyes and saw the prettiest thing
The Chattanooga city limit sign

He slowed down and I said
Mister please I'd like to get off right here
He said aw ride on into town with us
We're gonna go down and pick up some more beer
I said please once more and he stopped the car
And then he handed me my sack
Said they'd look for me on the road later on
In case I wanted to catch a ride back

I got out and sat down by the side of the road
Feelin' sick and lookin' mighty pale
I don't remember anything much after that
But next mornin' I woke up in jail
I didn't know anybody in my cell
And didn't wanta ask why was there
But they all kept grinnin' and turnin' their heads
And it was more than my head could bear

So I called the jailer and I asked him to tell me
Why I was there if he'd be so kind
He said for stoppin' the traffic while I was huggin' and kissin'
The Chattanooga city limit sign

 

[fox69]

"Children Go Where I Send Thee"

"Children Go Where I Send Thee"



Children go where I send thee,
How will I send thee,
I'm gonna send thee one by one
Cause the one was the little bitty baby.

 

[fox69]

"Christmas As I Knew It"

"Christmas As I Knew It"



One day near Christmas when I was just a child
Mama called us together and mama tried to smile
She said you know the cotton crop hadn't been too good this year
There's not a lot of spending money and well at least we're all here

I hope you won't expect a lot of Christmas presents
Just be thankful that there is plenty to eat
That'll make things a little more pleasant
And us kids got to thinking how really blessed we were
At least we were all healthy and most of all we had her

Roy cut down a pine oak tree and we drug it home Jack and me
Daddy killed a squirrel and Louise made the bread
Reba decorated the tree with popcorn strings before we went to bed
Mama and daddy sacrificed because this Christmas was kind of lean
After all there was the babies Tom and Joanne
And babies need a few things

I whittled a whistle for my brother Jack
And though we disagreed now and then
When I gave Jack that whistle he knew I thought the world of him
Mama made the girl's dresses out of flower sacks
And when she ironed them down
You couldn't tell that they hadn't come from town

A sharecropper family across the road didn't have it as good as us
They didn't even have a light and it was way past dusk
And mama said, "Well I bet they don't even have coal oil
Let alone apples and oranges and such"

Me and Jack took a jar of coal oil nd some hickernuts we'd found
We walked to the sharecropper's porch and set 'em down
A poor old ragged lady eased open the door
She picked up the coal oil and hickernuts and said
"I sure do thank you" and quickly closed the door

We started back home me and Jack
And about halfway we stopped looked back
And in the sharecropper's window at last was a light
So for one of the neighbors and for us it was a good Christmas night

Christmas came and Christmas went
Christmas that year was heaven sent
And my daddy put on his rubber boots
And paced the floor waiting for the thaw
Back home in Dyess Arkansas

 

[fox69]

"Christmas Time's A-Coming"

"Christmas Time's A-Coming"



Christmas time's a-comin', Christmas time's a-comin'
Christmas time's a-comin' and I know I'm going home

Snowflakes are falling, my old home's a calling
Tall pines are humming, Christmas time's a-coming
Can't you hear them bells ringing, ringing joy, joy hear them singing
When it's snowing I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas time's a-comin', Christmas time's a-comin'
Christmas time's a-comin' and I know I'm going home

Holly's in the window, home's where the wind blows
Can't walk for running, Christmas time's a-comin'
Can't you hear them bells ringing, ringing joy, joy hear them singing
When it's snowing I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas time's a-comin', Christmas time's a-comin'
Christmas time's a-comin' and I know I'm going home

White candles burning, my old heart's a yearning
For the folks at home when Christmas time's a-coming
Can't you hear them bells ringing, ringing joy, joy hear them singing
When it's snowing I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas time's a-comin', Christmas time's a-comin'
Christmas time's a-comin' and I know I'm going home

 

[fox69]

"Christmas With You"

"Christmas With You"



It's so nice to spend Christmas with you
The times that I've seen Christmas come and go are now two score
I wish you a merry Christmas and I wish you a many more
It's good to see the children laugh with joy the way they do
And it's nice to spend Christmas with you
That old fashioned Christmas is a sweet memory
Except for all the Christmasses that you weren't there with me
But now I really feel the spirit cause I love you like I do
And it's nice to spend Christmas with you

I remember Christmas when I little could afford
And I try to remember it's the birthday of our Lord
Well I'll not forget to thank him for his blessing's on me too
And that I can spend Christmas with you
That old fashioned Christmas...
It's so nice to spend Christmas with you