the ballad of mr. jenkins

Lyrics

with skin as tough as a burlap sack he had his second heart attack last summer, but he's still goin', there's a melancholy in his eyes, for all of you who care enough to wonder why, let me tell you, it all started back in 1957 when ole walt disney took him by surprise, thats the day old yeller died, well that twelve year old became a man eleven years to soon in vietnam, with his best friend tommy, they were tough as nails and southern born and awfully proud to wear that uniform, then things got scary, on april 4th, tommy left for heaven the same year the world was taken by surprise, that's the day martin luther died, so before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man, then what you see there on that barstool with the bourbon on his hand, you heard about his younger years but don't leave now theres more to hear, that might explain the pain in that old man, how quick america forgot about the only war they'd lost and life goes on, that's what they tell ya, no ticker tape no reason why, might have never seen the end of that chapter in his life, if he hadn't met betty, they married in december 1980, no doubt it was the best day of his life, two days before john lennon died, so before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man, than what you see there on the barstool with the bourbon in his hand, now we've covered chapter two i can almost see a change in you, there's still alot of life in that old man, he hadn't had a drink in at least a year, to tell the truth i'm shocked he's here, but as long as he wants'em i'm gonna pour'em, before you came in i asked him why, he raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes, then he told me, i've seen so much in my life i've never questioned, this time the good lord took me by surprise, yesterday my betty died, with skin as tough as a burlap sack he had his second heartattack last summer, but he's still goin'