Tom T. Hall

[fox69]

"Big Motel On The Mountain"

"Big Motel On The Mountain"


This song is for you big motel on the mountain just in thought to pass the time
And for the people who have loved and some have been loved
And some were wanted inside your walls
And for the 22 year old college girl
Who made that last semester with her smile along your halls
And for the trav'ling salesman and the Friday night time dinner out time crowd
Some were seeking stimulation in the laughter noise and drinks the music loud
This song is for you big motel on the mountain just in thought to pass the time

And for the Wednesday Night Auxiliary that meets inside your banquet room at nine
For the women's club and the social leads and the regular attendants every time
For the lost abandoned child by your northside entrance left alone to die
For the long haired wide eyed boy selling dope and looking for a place to hide
This song is for you big motel on the mountain just in thought to pass the time

For the middle aged executive who thought he'd seen enough
To slash his wrist in no. 10
And for the 32 year old housewife who got caught with her best friend's husband
She ain't around to try again
For the 7 year old girl swingin' slidin' on the west side near the pool
Saying why couldn't dad come home with us mama
Why you got to put me in that school
This song is for you big motel on the mountain just in thought to pass the time

 

[fox69]

"Bill Monroe For Breakfast"

"Bill Monroe For Breakfast"


When I was just a little boy we lived down on a farm
Seven miles from nowhere and a hundred miles from harm
We made our livin' from the dirt if anything would grow
And we got our country music from a big old radio
And we had Bill Monroe for breakfast every day
Then we'd head out to the fields a hoein' corn and mowin' hay
Aw mama loved his singin' daddy loved to hear him play
And we had Bill Monroe for breakfast every day

We had a big old battery that ran the radio
Sometimes we run it down a listenin' to the Opry Show
But we all had our instruments and most of us could play
So we had Bill Monroe for breakfast anyway
We had Bill Monroe for breakfast...

Mama was a lady and my daddy liked to preach
All we ever had was just a place to eat and sleep
If I could go back home again back to the simple ways
Oh we'd have Bill Monroe for breakfast every day
We had Bill Monroe for breakfast...
We had Bill Monroe for breakfast every day

 

[fox69]

"Bourbon Man"

"Bourbon Man"


(I have a very good friend in Nashville Tennessee who is a semiprofessional wino
And during one of our recent and frequent conversations
We got to talk about his religious philosophy
And as far as I could determine this is the way he feels about it)
Lord can a drunk go to heaven well frankly I don't see why not
If the Lord loves the weak and the weary well how come he can't love a sot
Now I don't drink to hurt anybody why I love everybody I meet
I can quit any time but I don't want to and in fact I quit three times last week
Now lemme tell you bout some of them preachers
Lord you know some of 'em ain't worth a dime
Why they're flirtin' with all of them widders hmm yeah and one is a widder of mine
Oh I hear people prayin' so fancy why they'd be better off a sendin' you mail
Lord if they could've heard me last Sunday
Well I'd've prayed 'em right out of that jail
Now Lord if a drunk gets to heaven to walk on that great Golden Strand
Would you give me a spot and the shade of a tree and remember I'm a bourbon man

 

[fox69]

"Canadian Women Canadian Clubs"

"Canadian Women Canadian Clubs"


I guess you're surprised to see me back in Louisville
After all that talk about goin' up north to make my kill
Why people in Toronto fell in love with me
But you know how I am that night life just won't let me be
Canadian women Canadian clubs
I got away clean I didn't leave a thing but a ring around the tub
And up in Brandon Manitoba I left thirteen empty jugs
Canadian women Canadian clubs

Well old Tom taught me how to stomp a tune or two
I hung around awhile and I got those sad weary blues
They told me that I oughta look out for those northern lights
That's a good excuse to sleep all day and stay up every night
Canadian women Canadian clubs...

Gordon introduced me to a folk or two some I hadn't met and some that I already knew
Well I'm goin' back as soon as I can raise the cash
Cause Canada is not a place that I wanna had in my past
Canadian women Canadian clubs...
Canadian women Lord Canadian clubs

 

[fox69]

"Candy In The Window"

"Candy In The Window"


Don't kiss my lips and say good-bye, it makes me want you more
Anyway, I knew somebody like you once before
I know that love is waiting for you farther down the line
Candy in the window of my mind

You're candy in the window and I'm that ragged child
That came to town to stare into the window for awhile
I wish you every happiness you'll ever hope to find
Sweet candy in the window of my mind

Remember me for I'm the one who never will forget
Now you know the way life is, you may decide you want me yet
Take care, sweeetheart, and keep in touch if you can spare the time
Candy in the window of my mind

You're candy in the window and I'm that ragged child
That came to town to stare into the window for awhile
I wish you every happiness you'll ever hope to find
Candy in the window of my mind
Sweet candy in the window of my mind

 

[fox69]

"Chattanooga Dog"

"Chattanooga Dog"


There's a fairground down in Chattanooga
Where a kiddy train runs up and down the track
There's an old black hound that always hangs around
And he chases that train down and back
And I've been chasing you like that Chattanooga dog
Even though I know you don't care
I've been chasing you like that Chattanooga dog
And it ain't gonna get me anywhere

Well I'm thinking that you're like that old train anybody gets a ticket to ride
I'm like that pup I won't ever give up I'd do anything to be by your side
I've been chasing you like that Chattanooga dog...

Every day when the kids come for playing to ride that ole kiddy train once more
There's that old faithful hound with his tongue hangin' down
And runnin' till his feet get sore
And I've been chasing you like that Chattanooga dog...

 

[fox69]

"Cloudy Day"

"Cloudy Day"


I never did like that apartment it was not a place I like to be
In summertime the place was hot in wintertime I'd sit around and freeze
I never did like that apartment seems to me it always smell like food
People down the hall complained because I liked to pick and sing
And anyway the rent was overdue
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day
One for you and one for him one for her and one for them
This looks like a cloudy day for me

I've forgot the number of the Interstate that brought me to this town
I've been here for seven months and still I do not know my way around
Well I'd like to find a quiet place and trouble is I don't know where it's at
I don't know which way is best but I think I'll be headin' west
So I'll be walkin' where the land is flat
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day...

I've know people higher up the ladder who can always pick and choose
Anything they want to be or anyplace they go to just can't lose
It doesn't matter who you are we all must have a cloudy day some time
Days that we can't seem to win days that we ain't got a friend
We all have days and I guess this is mine
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day...
One for you and one for him one for her and one for them
This looks like a cloudy day for me

 

[fox69]

"Coot Marseilles Blues"

"Coot Marseilles Blues"


(This story was told to me by Jerry Clover at the 1971 discjockey convention
I told Jerry I's gonna write a song about it
My brother Hillman gonna play the cigarette paper and the comb play)

Coot Marseilles was an old black man from down Mississippi way
He worked out in the white man's yard and he loved to sing and play
Ol' Coot worked hard God rest his soul he never was much to roam
His entire band was an old guitar a cigarette paper and a comb

Now ol' Coot had one song that he would sing when his long days were put in
There ain't nobody knows that song now cause I reckon that it died with him
His songs were made up 'o dry bones from pain and sweat and tears
And Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy was sometimes all you'd hear
Now on Saturdays ol' Coot didn't work much 'cepten he built a fire in the stove
And when he get through he'd mosey on down and sit by the gravel road
He'd hum that song as he walked along with the faraway look in his eyes
And he sat there by the road all day watched them fine Ford cars go by
Now on Saturday night the white folks danced and ol' Coot he'd pick and sing
He had an old RC bottle neck that he'd slide up and down them strings
Now Coot didn't care much for lyrics he just made 'em up as he went along
And Lord I wish they had tape back then cause I'd sure love to hear them songs
Well his clothes were old and his hair was gray and hard work had bent his back
His songs were never recognized by statuettes or flags
His songs were all about the working man and Coot never owned a tie
The only thing he ever really had to do was die

Now ol' Coot's gone and maybe I'm wrong to bring it all back again
But I know his friends down in Mississippi sure thought a lot of him
So rock on Coot and enjoy your rest your long day's work is done
And if they got Fords up in Heaven sir I sure hope you're driving one

Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord

 

[fox69]

"Country Cabin-Itis"

"Country Cabin-Itis"


I have been to New York City I have traveled there in style
It's a big conventient city but there ain't no country miles
I have put my hand inside the hands of men who could not see
What the singing of a bluebird means to me

I got that country cabin itis in my soul
It will comfort me in trouble be my friend when I am old
I have got to bring my country brothers back into the fold
I got that country cabin itis in my soul

Old wood burn stove fried chicken warm linoleum on the floor
Sunday preaching Monday cursing and the girl that lives next door
I have done some heavy thinking I have suffered with the load
Just like running barefoot down the gravel road

I got that country cabin itis in my soul
It will comfort me in trouble be my friend when I am old
I have got to bring my country brothers back into the fold
I got that country cabin itis in my soul

I have known myself when others never knew me much at all
Sometimes it was the gettin' up that hurt more than the fall
I am not concerned with money I am not concerned with toys
It may tell you Jesus was a country boy

I got that country cabin itis in my soul
It will comfort me in trouble be my friend when I am old
I have got to bring my country brothers back into the fold
I got that country cabin itis in my soul

I got that country cabin itis in my soul
It will comfort me in trouble be my friend when I am old
I have got to bring my country brothers back into the fold
I got that country cabin itis in my soul

 

[fox69]

"Country Is"

"Country Is"


Country is sittin' on the back porch listen to the whippoorwills late in the day
Country is mindin' your business helpin' a stranger if he comes your way
Country is livin' in the city knowin' your people knowin' your kind
Country is what you make it country is all in your mind

Country is workin' for a living thinkin' your own thoughts lovin' your town
Country is teachin' your children find out what's right and stand your ground
Country is a havin' the good times listen to the music singing your part
Country is walkin' in the moonlight country is all in your heart