Tom T. Hall

[fox69]

"Highways"

"Highways"


Highways take me everywhere I want to go with one exception standing
That road leads into the quiet places in the shadows of your mind
The beaten path of common words can only lead us to misunderstanding
I believe that I can see the love for you that is a greater kind
Highways take me over the mountains into the valleys and out through the plains
Wanting to be in your heart's understanding I travel each highway in vain

Highways only take me into places where the average of the crowd goes
Where they affix the standard on the language and emotions of the love
Highways never reach above the ground and cannot know the things a cloud knows
In a million volumes they have never written to express my love
Highways take me over the mountains...
Highways take me over the mountains...

 

[fox69]

"Homecoming"

"Homecoming"


I guess I should've written, dad, to let you know that I was coming home
I've been gone so many years, I didn't realize you had a phone
I saw your cattle coming in, boy they're looking mighty fat and slick
I saw Fred at the service station, told me that his wife is awful sick

You heard my record on the radio, oh, well it's just another song
But I've got a hit recorded and it'll be out on the market 'fore too long
I got this ring in Mexico, no, it didn't cost me quite a bunch
When you're in the business that I'm in, the people call it puttin' up a front

I know I've lost a little weight, I guess I am looking kind of pale
If you didn't know me better, dad, you'd think that I'd just gotten out of jail
No, we don't ever call them beer joints, night clubs are the places that I work
You meet a lot of people there, but no, there ain't much chance of gettin' hurt

I'm sorry that I couldn't be there with you all when momma passed away
I was on the road and when they came and told me it was just too late
I drove by the grave to see her, boy, that really is a pretty stone
I'm glad that Fred and Jan are here, it's better than you being here alone

Well I knew you's gonna ask me who the lady is that's sleeping in the car
That's just a girl who works for me and, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar
We worked in San Antone last night, she didn't even have the time to dress
She drove me down from Nashville and to tell the truth I guess she needs the rest

Well, dad, I gotta go, we got a dance to work in cartersville tonight
Let me take your number down, I'll call you, and I promise you I'll write
Now you be good and don't be chasin' all those pretty women that you know
And by the way if you see Barbara walker tell her that I said "hello."

 

[fox69]

"How To Talk To A Little Baby Goat"

"How To Talk To A Little Baby Goat"


How do you talk to a little baby goat you can't go meow like a cat
When you go meow to a little baby goat he can't go meow right back
No you have to say baaa to a little baby goat you can't say hello like a man
You have to say baaa to a little baby goat that's all he understands

How do you talk to a little baby goat you can't go cackle like a hen
When you go cackle to a little baby goat it doesn't mean a thing to him
So you have to say baaa...

How do you talk to a little baby goat you can't go quack like a duck
When you go quack to a little baby goat it just doesn't mean very much
So you can't go meow cackle quack to a goat you can't say hello like a man
You can't go meow cackle quack to a goat remember you have to say baaa

 

[fox69]

"I Can't Dance"

"I Can't Dance"


I can't dance and I never could, I guess my feet don't match
I've been thinking 'bout dancing with you, but I'm afraid of hurtin' my back
I don't know what you're doing but I like everything you do
Just for a little bit baby I'd come out and dance with you

[Chorus:]
But I can't dance and I'm feeling so good
Some of us can and some of us can't and some of us wish that we could dance
Some can't dance and I guess I'm just one of the unfortunate few

Just for a little bit, baby, I'd come out and dance with you

My mind is out there with you now but I can't get my body to move
Sitting here falling in love, love, love thinking something I can't prove
My soul is willing and my mind is ready but it's something that I never could do
Just for a little bit, baby, I'd come out and dance with you

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"I Care"

"I Care"


When the TV won't work and your toys fall apart
And you have a sad feeling deep in your heart
You wanna go out but it's rainin' out there I want you to know I care
I care I do there's no one like you
When they take you some place and you sit in a chair I want you to know I care
When you tell a big lie and your parents're mean
When being grownup is a faraway dream
When you're fillin' your teeth and cuttin' your hair I want you to know I care
I care I do there's no one like you
I mention your name when I'm sayin' my prayers I want you to know I care
When you have a bad cough and you can't go out
When you sit for a week with that thing in your mouth
When you sleep in the dark and there's something out there I want you to know I care
I care I do there's no one like you and sometimes I act like a grouchy old bear
I want you to know I care I love you too much

 

[fox69]

"I Feel Like Flying Away"

"I Feel Like Flying Away"


I woke up this morning feeling so good feeling much better than I though I could
Bluebird would you lend me your wings today I feel like flying away
I feel like flying away
Fly up to Mexico maybe to Spain I've got some good friends who live up in Maine
Fly up to Paris and sample the wine ain't that a magnificient line
Oh forgive me for saying I'd always be blue
I should have known better that sun has come through
My silver lining is turned inside out there's the sun everyone shouts
Oh I feel like flying away

Fly up to Mexico maybe to Spain...
I feel like flying away

 

[fox69]

"I Flew Over Our House Last Night"

"I Flew Over Our House Last Night"


That old Kentucky moon was shinin' bright as day
The stars were twinklin' in the milky way
The pilot said if you look close there's frankfort on the right
I flew over our house last night

Thirty thousand feet below me you were fast asleep
Thirty thousand feet above I almost stopped to weep
So close and yet so far away, so wrong and yet so right
I flew over our house last night

For just one second I thought I was back in town
The man your friends all say has only brought you down
The airline hostess asked me, "sir, are you sure that you're alright?"
I flew over our house last night

Thirty thousand feet below me you were fast asleep
And thirty thousand feet above I almost stopped to weep
I wonder did you toss and turn as I roared out of sight
I flew over our house last night

 

[fox69]

"I Hope It Rains At My Funeral"

"I Hope It Rains At My Funeral"


Can't send no fourteen year-old boy to no school
The only thing I learned in the years I worked on my daddy's farm
Was, "son, you better get them crops in when it turns cool."

In the magazines, I saw the naked women
I heard about the drinkin' and the bars
If my daddy could've caught me, he'd a-killed me
He said, "you might run, boy, but you ain't gonna get far."

I hit town or you might say that it hit me
Next mornin' there were things I knew more about

The woman who had taken me in said, "country boy, you're all right."
The same way I turned her on, she turned me out
The first law I broke, right away they got me
I helped them build the country roads for awhile
They fed me two times a day and knocked me down about four

For thirty days I didn't even crack a smile

I met a nice girl and she said I was her baby
She let me go and would never tell me why
I learned what it means to be somebody's baby
They let you lie in your bed by yourself and cry

The miles were good but the mileage is turnin' my hair gray
I've met some people that knew me and call me friend
Ain't no sense in wantin' my life to live over
I'd find different ways to make those mistakes again

So let me say this, I never tried to hurt anybody
Though I guess there's a few that I still couldn't look in the eye
If I've got one wish, I hope it rains at my funeral
For once, I'd like to be the only one dry

 

[fox69]

"I Know Who I'll Be Seeing In New Zealand"

"I Know Who I'll Be Seeing In New Zealand"


I know who I'll be seeing in New Zealand if I ever return and I want to
I know who I'll be seeing in New Zealand
If I ever get back and I hope I'll do I'll see you

Looking out the window at the blue New Zealand sky
Watching all the quiet gentle people going by
Far away from what they call the meddlin' crowd
Dreaming in the land of the long white clouds
I know who I'll be seeing...

Rebecca I love you and I want you to know I think about you almost everywhere I go
You have what has been described as improbable charm
I hope the future keeps you happy and warm
I know who I'll be seeing in New Zealand I'll see you

 

[fox69]

"I Left You Some Kisses On The Door"

"I Left You Some Kisses On The Door"


Your mama says I can't see you the judge says that it's right
We can't be together cause me and mommie fights
But you're my little girl and daddy loves you more and more
And I left you some kisses on the door
I came by to see you but mommie just said no
I knocked but mommie saw me as she peeked through the hole
I only wanna hold you honey mommie thinks it's war
But I left you some kisses on the door

You know your daddy worries honey but it's not mama's fault
You do what your mommie says you know that she's the boss
No matter what I gave you mommie thought you needed more
But I left you some kisses on the door
Hey you're my little angel babe and it don't make much sense
To only get to watch you play through that old schoolyard fence
Someday you'll come to me sweetheart that's all I'm waitin' for
Cause I left you some kisses on the door