This it?



Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF WIDDER JONES (Loudermilk)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 01:11 PM

This almost certainly IS the song that was wanted by the first 3 posters to this thread.
Lyrics copied from a John D Loudermilk discography web site:


THE BALLAD OF WIDDER JONES (AND HER 25 ACRES OF SAND)
Words & music by John D Loudermilk,
©1961 Acuff-Rose Publ. Inc.
Recorded by George Hamilton IV, 1961.

When Ben Jones fell under Yankee lead, Ben Jones left a widder,
A lovely thing just turned eighteen who couldn't help but be bitter.
He didn't leave her nothing but a cabin and some vittles and some old back taxes
And twenty-five acres of sandy soil in the middle of Texas.

Now Widder Jones says, "Benny's gone, and it ain't no use in me cryin'."
So Widder Jones went into town and started drinkin' some wine.
She told the strangers all around the bar that she was all alone,
And that she'd give her land to the very first man who would take her home.

Well, the next morning found a tall dark stranger lookin' over his new land,
Said, "What good is twenty-five scrawny acres when you can't get grass to stand?"
He went back inside and told the Widder Jones she'd made a fool out of him,
And he laid widder Jones' dying bones 'neath her twenty-five acres of sand.

Now a hundred years has come and gone and Widder Jones is forgotten.
The tall dark stranger died in chains in San Quentin's dark bottom,
But poor fools they let hearts be ruled by passion, greed and malice,
'Cause today that twenty-five acres of sand is settin' in the middle of Dallas,
Is settin' in downtown Dallas.

(Source: Standard Songs Pop/ Country/ Blues/ Folk/ Instrumentals/ Novelty, Acuff-Rose Publications Inc. 1956-1973)

[Anybody know—is there any truth to this story?—JD]