Tom T. Hall

[fox69]

"Girls In Saigon City"

"Girls In Saigon City"


There's a place called Da Nang Village cross the ocean far away
In deep concern for one young woman that's where I abide today
Today I got a dear-John-letter from that young woman in the USA
When I was called I knew I'd lose her it don't matter anyway
There are girls in Saigon City waiting there with open arms
On my leave I may go see them in this other world called VietNam

Stateside girls should take this warning be faithful cause you can't tell
On the streets of Saigon City they have many things to sell
There are girls in Saigon City...

 

[fox69]

"God Came Through Bellville Georgia"

"God Came Through Bellville Georgia"


I'll tell you all the story that I think you'll understand
Travelin' through Georgia ramblin' cross the land
I passed the Bellville depot and something said to me
Stop here son there's something you should see
I stopped awhile and rested on the depot steps
The tall pines waved and in the breeze the air was clear and fresh
That Georgia winter sunshine was a warming up my back
And I saw a train coming down the track
God came through Bellville Georgia he was ridin' on the noonday train
All power to him and praise his holy name
He never got off of the train he never got off of the train

I've never had a day like that since I have been alive
My body full of feeling there was vision in my eyes
I've traveled this world over just to meet that certain train
And I know my life will never be the same
Well I don't know where he's going but I know he likes to ride
Across the hills and valleys thru the prairies thru the skies
And I know the time is coming if the world don't ever change
Everybody's gotta meet that train
God came through Bellville...
He never does he never got off of the train he never got off of that train

 

[fox69]

"Gone To Hell In A Basket"

"Gone To Hell In A Basket"


I fished the everglades for a while
Lookin' through the darkness at those alligators' eyes
Three days in the sun boys ah it made me well
But back in Nashville they're just a givin' me hell
Singing (he's gone to hell in a basket) one of those hand woven caskets
You got a deep question please don't ask it but I've gone to hell in a basket

Them airboat boys have got their nerve
Right now they're eatin' all of 'em terrible preserves
Singing my new song for a sixpack of beer back in Music City this is all you can hear
(He's gone to hell in a basket...)

Okefanokee ain't so much they say the grass ain't so tough
These sawgrass neighbors know what life's all about
Meanwhile back in Nashville they're still wearin' me out
With (he's gone to hell in a basket...)
What you say (he's gone to hell in a basket...)
Yeah I know he's gone to hell in a basket...

 

[fox69]

"Goodbye Cowgirl"

"Goodbye Cowgirl"


Goodbye cowgirl the trail ends here
Goodbye cowgirl the tracks of all the dreams that we were chasin' disappear
We take different trails I prefer the rails to some city lights where they're civilized
Goodbye cowgirl set your stirrups high
Goodbye cowgirl you got to ride a many rough and dusty rocky mile
I was the enemy in your camp you see I was restless nights by the campfire light

Goodbye cowgirl watch that western star
Goodbye cowgirl ride around the mountains do not push yourself too far
I will remember you what else could I do life's like rodeos open and they close

 

[fox69]

"Greed Kills More People Than Whiskey"

"Greed Kills More People Than Whiskey"


I was standin' outside of a hotel in Houston blinkin' my eyes in the bright morning sun
A feller next to me said where are you headed
I told him to Nashville cause that's where I'm from
I said I had one or too many last evening brother I damn near fell off of my steed
He said yeah whiskey gets 'em and whiskey gets many
But listen son nothin' kills people like greed
I said huh and I turned to him and he was a cowboy
Bout fifty years old in a big western hat
Sir if you said that greed killed more people than whiskey
If my taxi don't come tell me more bout that

He said I knew a guy who made millions on millions
Then he turned right around and made millions on that
He had crude oil and blue chips and good barns and feed lots
He could touch an old steer and just turn into fat
And he coveted the money that other folks lived on
He never spent nickels he thought he could keep
It was money that made him a night hawk and a worrier
And soon it was money that robbed him of sleep
And they buried him deep in a west Texas graveyard
They put up a tombstone of all he had done
And I am the man that he fired for a few beers
But I'm sure feeling good in the west Texas sun

I shook hands with that man and I crawled in the taxi
And I thought of the two things that I keep doing wrong
The man said that the greed killed more people than whiskey
And I'm sittin' here hung over writin' a song

 

[fox69]

"Halloween Is"

"Halloween Is"


How would you like to be scared right out of your socks
Whether or not you're wearin' socks
How would you like to be frightened out of your room
With some big scary something out of the gloom
That's what Halloween is it's a fright'ning time
Ghosts and goblins a runnin' around and spookin' you out of your mind
Sometimes I get dressed up and I go frighten them where they live
Trick or treat that's what Holloween is

One time I saw a ghost on top of my barn I was alarmed he was on my barn
I ran right up and said ghost trick or treat
And I almost scared that ghost right out of his sheet
That's what Halloween is...

When Halloween comes we're gonna make people scream
We're gonna be ugly and we're gonna be mean
We're gonna go trick or treatin' every chance
And we'll frighten all of our neighbors out of their pants
That's what Halloween is...

 

[fox69]

"Hang Them All"

"Hang Them All"


There's a murderer in your town Mister there were seven unsolved last year
There's a murderer in your town Mister how long has he been living here
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty if they hang 'em all they cannot miss
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty been a lot of problem solved like this

There's a thief in your town Mister this morning my milk was gone
There's a thief in your town Mister how long has this been going on
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty...

There's a cheater in your town Mister last night I saw him in a bar
There's a cheater in your town Mister is that the kind of people you are
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty...

There's a hypocrite in your town Mister I think I caught him in a lie
There's a hypocrite in your town Mister are you gonna let that go by
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty that's what you say we ought to do
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty but remember they're gonna hang you too
If they hang 'em all they get the guilty...

 

[fox69]

"Happy Groundhog Day"

"Happy Groundhog Day"


I missed you Thanksgiving I didn't do much
Watched football on TV and I lost twenty bucks
Did you go to Georgia well Georgia is in they had a nice meal at the Holiday Inn
I missed you on Christmas and so did my friends
I know you were busy and I understand
I sent you a card with a good Snoopy joke ain't it a pity that we didn't have snow

I missed you on New Years my doesn't time fly
That Auld Lang Syne song sure gets in my eye
Heard you had a party and some people went you were the life of the party again
Well springtime is coming it makes me a fool
I thought I would call you while everything's cool
I know it sounds crazy but I wanted to say
I hope that you have a happy Groundhog Day

 

[fox69]

"Harper Valley P.T.A."

"Harper Valley P.T.A."


I want to tell you all a story 'bout a Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter who attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
She said, "Mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley P.T.A."

The note said, "Mrs. Johnson, you're wearing your dresses way too high
It's reported you've been drinking and a-runnin' 'round with men and going wild
And we don't believe you ought to be bringing up your little girl this way"
It was signed by the secretary, Harper Valley P.T.A.

Well, it happened that the P.T.A. was gonna meet that very afternoon
They were sure surprised when Mrs. Johnson wore her mini-skirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard, I still recall the words she had to say
She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley P.T.A."

Well, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a date
Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away
And Mr. Baker, can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down?

Well, Mr. Harper couldn't be here 'cause he stayed too long at Kelly's Bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath, you'll find she's had a little nip of gin
Then you have the nerve to tell me you think that as a mother I'm not fit
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites

No I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way
The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A.
The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A.

 

[fox69]

"High Steppin' Proud"

"High Steppin' Proud"


I was a high steppin' proud man one time king of the sidewalk fed all the girls a line
You came along and love laid a heavy hand on me
High steppin' proud man went down to his knees
For a while I enjoyed just bein' under your thumb
But after a while the nerve of love grew numb
Then I knew my heart was changing cryin' out long and loud
To once again become a man high steppin' proud
High steppin' proud man down on my knees
Beckon to your every wish and your every need
Oh I know it won't be long before I break those vows
And once again become a man high steppin' proud

There's a lot of things in life I'm glad I didn't miss
And your good good love rates mighty high on the list
But my restless spirit and a weddin' band don't get along somehow
Especially since I long to be high steppin' proud
High steppin' proud man...