Tom T. Hall

[fox69]

"Ode To A Half A Pound Of Ground Round"

"Ode To A Half A Pound Of Ground Round"


This is the song about the time I nearly starved to death in Roanoke Virginia
I woke up Wednesday morning in my little motel bed
Knowing I would die the minute that I move my head
I felt around to make sure I was in my bed alone
I meet some friendly people when I'm stoned
My payday was on Friday I had two more days to go
Even in my agony I knew that I was broke
Lemme pay the check I said and keep the change my friend
She wiggled out of sight with my last ten
At noon I realized there wasn't any way to eat
For lunch I just went out and shuffled up and down the street
At four o'clock I had a funny feeling in my chest
How long's it take to starve a man to death
I found some pennies in my junk and bought a candy bar
Divided it in pieces and I ate one every hour
I just rolled into town and didn't know a single soul
There wasn't any way to make a loan

Thursday morning I was nearly panicked on the job
I heard my stomach growlin' and my head began to throb
I contemplated murder of the folks that brought their lunch
The sudden smell of food would make me jump
Thursday night they run all food commercials on TV
I slept till nine or ten and then I walked the floor to three
Friday morning I looked for some ketchup on my shirts
My mind was gone my legs began to hurt
The last few minutes up to payin' time were all the worst
The minutes were the years it took to build the universe
Finally it came I got my check and made a dash yes I said the man will eat at last
Running down the sidewalk I could see the words so sweet
The sign was flashin' on and on Eat Eat Eat
A half o'pound of ground round ma'm and please don't cook it long
The frizzle of the grill was like a song
I've traveled this world over and I ain't been hungry much
I've been down in my thinking and I've been down on my luck
But the sweetest meal I've ever had in anybody's town
Was a half a pound of plain ground round ground round

 

[fox69]

"Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine"

"Old Dogs, Children & 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 pourin' blended whiskey down
When this old gray black gentleman was cleanin' up the lounge

There wasn't 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 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 they-selves, when menfolk 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 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 Enough To Want To"

"Old Enough To Want To"


I hope that gleam that you have in your eye
Is reflection from the buttons on your blouse
If it's not then we're in trouble, I can tell you why
I'm old enough to want to and fool enough to try

They don't make women like you anymore
And since there's not enough to go around
If you think what I think you're thinking, this is what I think
I'd be a crazy fool to turn you down

I hope that smile that you have on your lips
Is just a smile that you wear all the time
If it's something special, then start making up your line
I'm old enough to want to and fool enough to try
I'm old enough to want to and fool enough to try

 

[fox69]

"Old Five And Dimers Like Me"

"Old Five And Dimers Like Me"


I've spent the lifetime making up my mind to be
More than the measure of what I thought others could see
Good luck and fast bucks they're too few and too far between
There's catalog buyers and old five and dimers like me
She stood beside me letting me know she would be
Something to lean on when everything ran out on me
Well fenced yards ain't hole cards and like is not ever will be
The reason for rhymers and old five and dimers like me

Well it's taking me so long now that I know I believe
All that I do or say is all I ever will be
Too far and too high and too deep ain't too much to see
Too much ain't enough for old five and dimers like me
An old five and dimer is all I intended to be
(You know country people don't shine their boots very often
And they don't shine other folks' boots either thank you)

 

[fox69]

"Old Habits Die Hard"

"Old Habits Die Hard"


Old habits die hard old habits like loving you
Like spending my days and nights in missing you
Hours that were yours echo like empty rooms
Strange faces and your place can't keep away the gloom
Old habits die hard now that you're gone

Old habits die hard old habits like being true
Like counting the hours till I could be with you
Things we used to share I now keep alone I waste my nights here by the telephone
Old habits die hard now that you're gone

Hours that were yours...

 

[fox69]

"Ole Lonesome George The Basset"

"Ole Lonesome George The Basset"


Ole lonesome George the basset lived in Brentwood Tennessee
And even though he had his faults he was a sight to see
He taught the show dog puppies to always try and please
To hold their heads and tails up and not wet the judge's knees
Ole George was not a champion but his owners loved him so
They drived the car to the dogshows ole George would get the dough
But when he'd get out in the rain he never could win first
Several judges shook their heads and said he was the worst
Then one day the kannel keeper got an urgent call
From the local TV to Mr Tom T Hall
They said Johnny Cash is puttin' on the show tonight
He says he needs a basset you've got one ain't that right
Lonesome George went to the show and he did everything
He barked and growled and jumped around and made the rappers ring
He'd left the people cheering for another curtain call
And so ole lonesome George became the show dog after all, mhm

 

[fox69]

"One Hundred Children"

"One Hundred Children"


One hundred children, brave boys and girls
They come from nations all over the world
One hundred children marching along
One hundred children singing their song

Don't blow up the world, don't kill all the flowers
Today this is your world, tomorrow it's ours
Leave us pure water and forest uncut
Think of tomorrow, leave something for us

Your God may be dead but ours is alive
We think without Him we cannot survive
Punish all the bad men, praise all the good
Talk to your neighbors about brotherhood

One hundred children, brave boys and girls
They come from nations all over the world
One hundred children marching along
One hundred children singing their song

This is the song I was singing one night
While I was thinking of wrong and of right
I thought of good things that still could be done
The marchers now number one hundred and one

One hundred children, brave boys and girls
They come from nations all over the world
One hundred children marching along
One hundred children singing their song

One hundred children, brave boys and girls
They come from nations all over the world
One hundred children marching along
One hundred children singing their song

 

[fox69]

"One More Song For Jesus"

"One More Song For Jesus"


We've traveled this world over in our day and in our time
We've heard some songs that made no sense and some that did not rhyme
We may never sing another song there ain't no way to know
But let's have one more song for Jesus 'fore we go
Oh we may not live the letter of the law and live that truth
Judged and criticized for almost everything we do
But they cannot stop our singing though they're holier than we
Let's have one more song for Jesus if you please

They say they're gonna burn us in a not too distant day
I don't think we should buy that cause it just ain't Jesus' way
Now they say he's mean and vicious and there's nothing that he won't do
They must know a different Jesus than we do
Oh we may not live the letter...

Some atheist may tell us he was just another man
Some say that he's a superstar and they're his biggest fans
He means so much to so many that I think you will agree
We oughta have one more song for Jesus if you please
Oh we may not live the letter of the law and be that true
Judged and criticized for almost everything we do
But they cannot stop our singing though they're holier than we
So let's have one more song for Jesus if you please
We oughta have one more song for Jesus if you please
Let's have one more song for Jesus on our knees
Let's have one more song for Jesus if you please

 

[fox69]

"One Of The Mysteries Of Life"

"One Of The Mysteries Of Life"


If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time
You can't answer all the questions in your mind
Love is love and you can't make it right
It's one of the mysteries of life

[Chorus:]
How can you know love when no one ever knew
It's the mother of all happiness and father of the blues
Love puts sunshine in your days, then steals your sleep at night
It's one of the mysteries of life

Maybe you should take it day by day
If you hold love too loosely, it will fly away
If you hold love too tightly, it will die
It's one of the mysteries of life

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Over And Over Again"

"Over And Over Again"


Over and over say you forgive me for the crazy fool I've been
Over and over I'll be sorry over and over again
Would I be untrue to you dear no no never again
That's one lesson I'll remember over and over again
Back together now and forever ever more will I be true
Over and over I'm gonna prove it over and over to you

Over and over say you forgive me I'll be faithful to the end
I will prove I can be trusted over and over again
Would I be untrue to you dear no no never again...
Over and over over and over over and over over and over
Over and over over and over over and over over and over