Dani and I are working on this one to share at the Getaway! Sara and Johnny wrote the music--Woody the lyrics.


BE NO CHURCH TONIGHT
(Lyrics by Woody Guthrie, music by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion)
As sung by Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion on "Ribbon of Highway"

Preacher Ben come to the house one Sunday bright and fine
To fill his belly with sweet potatoes, biscuits, chicken and wine.
He took our Nellie behind the barn, and carried on a sight.
I heard him whisper in her ear, "There'll be no church tonight."

CHORUS: There'll be no church tonight, my dear; there'll be no church tonight.
One more kiss from your red, red lips, there'll be no church tonight.

While peeking through that knothole, I seen him take her hand
Put his head upon her bosom and call it "the promised land,
Mountains of life and glorious hills!" He touched her leg so light.
He gasped for air and said a prayer: "There'll be no church tonight." CHORUS

She leaned back on a pile of hay and gently closed her eyes,
Said the words from the 23rd psalm to the good Lord in the sky.
What I'd seen through that knothole, I cannot sing or write,
But now I know the reason why there'll be no church tonight. CHORUS

Janie