To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=3348
23 messages

Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)

22 Nov 97 - 09:56 PM (#16531)
Subject: All on account of a Pinball Machine
From: pjstreet

Anyone know the rest of the words to an old, sad c/w/folk song about a hog hauler?

I'm an old hog hauler and I drive a big truck,
I played the pinball machine till it brought me bad luck.
All I ever got on the pinball machine,
I got the four cat-e-corners, but I missed the sixteen.

My wife she called me up on the telephone,
Said "John, I really love you, when will you come home?"
"I got a load of hogs and they've got to go;
I'll see you when I get back from Chicago."

blah, blah.

My best friend called me up on the telephone,
He said (blah blah).
"John, I hate to tell you 'bout your babies and your wife,
Pneumonia caught the babies and your wife took her life."

22 Nov 97 - 11:58 PM (#16533)
Subject: RE: All on account of a Pinball Machine
From: Gene

Hi..correct title is PINBALL MACHINE written and recorded by LONNIE IRVING....

23 Nov 97 - 01:18 AM (#16537)
Subject: Lyr Add: PINBALL MACHINE (Lonnie Irving)
From: Gene

Here ya go!

PINBALL MACHINE
Recorded by Lonnie Irving
Words and music by Lonnie Irving

SPOKEN:

This story's about an ex-truck driver
Bein' named John James Wall
Before his friends blackballed him and nick-named him pinball
I gathered this story from a truck stop in Gallipolis, Ohio
When this old fellar, I'd say, 70 years old
Asked me to buy him a strong cup of coffee
And a piece of good apple pie
I bought the coffee and the pie for the old fellow
And I'm awful glad I did
Because he winked his eye and smiled and says "My!, My!"
Then I noticed in a few minutes, with trembling hands
He pushed a part of his pie and coffee back
And looked at me with tears running down his poor old
Weather beaten cheeks, and this is what he said...

I'm an old hog-hauler, I drove a big truck
I shot the pinball machine, but it caused me bad luck.

But all I ever made in a pinball machine
I'd get four catty-corners, then I'd miss the 16.

I wish they'd outlaw them old pinball machines
Many weeks they have caused me to live on sardines.

Last time I called my wife on the phone
The first thing she says, "John, when can you come home?"

"I've got a load of hogs and they've got to go
I'll see you when I get back from Chicago."

She says, "John, you know I love you, I wish you wouldn't go
Send your babies some money, they are hungry and cold."

The last thing she said and then she hung up
"John, you give up my lovin', just to drive an old truck."

I made my trip on to Chicago
I was gone two months, 'cause I shot up my dough.

When I got home my family was gone
The best friend I had, rung my telephone.

He said, "John, I guess you wonder about your babies and wife?
Pneumonia got your babies and your wife took her life!"

I lost all my friends, I can't sleep for bad dreams
I dream about an old truck and a pinball machine.

SPOKEN:
I never will forget the last words that old man said
"Oh! Lord, if I could live my life over!" and then he fell dead.

They tell me John was a clean cut young man at the age of 19
But now he's in his grave ...
A victim of a big old truck, and a pinball machine.

02 Dec 97 - 11:25 AM (#16986)
Subject: RE: All on account of a Pinball Machine
From: Gene

Hi Pat! It's been here waiting on you.....

04 Dec 97 - 02:40 PM (#17090)
Subject: RE: All on account of a Pinball Machine
From: Pat

Thanks, Gene, Thanks for the perseverance in getting these lyrics to me. They brings back memories, for sure. BTW, The last few words, "...and a pinball machine," were sung at the end of that final spoken part.

I was sure that the line "It was all on account of a pinball machine" was in there somewhere, but maybe not, after all.

17 Apr 07 - 06:45 PM (#2028316)
Subject: RE: All on account of a Pinball Machine
From: GUEST

dec 97, wow thats long ago.. love the song though:P

23 Jan 08 - 10:57 AM (#2242842)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST

Well I made my trip on to Chicago I was gone three months cause I shot up my doe. When I got home family was gone the best friend I had rung my telephone. He said John I guess your wondering about your baby and wife phenmonia got your baby and your wife took her life.

24 Jan 08 - 01:24 AM (#2243378)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Gene

There were several recordings by different artists, so the lyrics
you recall may have been from one of those...those above are from
the version I have..

24 Jan 08 - 01:54 PM (#2243780)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: Mark Ross

I used to hear Pat Sky do this one 40 years ago.

Mark Ross

24 Nov 09 - 09:34 PM (#2773069)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,hugh Stogner, indiana

I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me who the musicians were that worked with Lonnie on that recording, especially the banjo player? Where was that song recorded,; was it at King records in Cincinati Oh?

24 Nov 09 - 09:55 PM (#2773078)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: catspaw49

No help here as the only only version I ever heard was by Patrick Sky. Sorry...........

Spaw

18 Dec 09 - 08:17 AM (#2791121)
Subject: RE: Pinball Machine session musicians.
From: GUEST

From Allan Hansen in Neyland,Wales U.K.

Recorded December 1959 at Martinsville,VA.

Musicians: Jim Eanes rh gt,Frank Burres el gt,Arnold Terry rh gt,Allen Shelton banjo,Cliff Ragsdale bass,Roy Russell fiddle.

A great record.

11 Oct 10 - 12:53 AM (#3004213)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Misty

You definitely took the words right out of my mouth Pat. My dad was a truck driver and i use to go on the truck with him all the time and this song was one of our favorites to listen to all the time. I loved going on the truck with him and I loved this song and stil love this song. My dad has been gone almost 11 years now and this song really hits the heart.

11 Oct 10 - 03:20 AM (#3004237)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray

The Fall did a cover back in the 1980s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJtieLG_BwI

09 Mar 11 - 11:59 AM (#3110409)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Michael Salyer

I'm an ole tanker yanker but this song always struck a cord with me for some reason. Lonnie was a great singer, and from what I understand, a great truck driver too. It's to bad we lost him at such an early age. If memory serves me correctly, he was only 27 when he past in 1962. Such a shame, I feel he so much more left in him to offer in the way of great recordings. He is sorely missed.

14 Mar 11 - 10:45 AM (#3113504)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: Jim Dixon

You can hear Lonnie Irving sing PINBALL MACHINE at YouTube.

14 Mar 11 - 03:12 PM (#3113670)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: Van

Anyone who liked playing pinbaal (I use liked as they are hard to find on the south coast might be interested in the Pinball Museum, Ramsgate, Kent, UK. They have quite a collecction of machines and you can buy change and play them. Great fun for the older members of our community ;0)

01 Jan 12 - 01:50 PM (#3283014)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Arvadadan

I swear the middle of the pinball field was 13 not 16. I was 16 working in a diner and this was on the juke box.

10 Sep 12 - 10:01 PM (#3402593)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,R Burroughs

My Dad played the electric guitar on this record. His name is spelled incorrectly, but it is Frank Burroughs.

27 Apr 13 - 09:56 PM (#3509792)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,raymond

just me ray...I have played this on guitat and using my made up chords. I wish I knew the original chords.

15 Oct 17 - 07:07 PM (#3882465)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,will haile

I play it in key of C.. seems to work good CF CG F.. come around to C.. mix in some two string power cords some single string notes go down to low bass then back up

18 Oct 17 - 02:48 PM (#3883112)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: Mrrzy

Well THIS is a lot more depressing than the song I thought it would be, sung jauntingly by a woman, about "but he racked up 50,000 on the pinball machine" !

Excellent ballad, this one, though.

17 Apr 18 - 02:38 PM (#3917998)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pinball Machine (Lonnie Irving)
From: GUEST,Brian Cooper

My favorite group, The Fall did a cover of this song in 1989. I just heard Lonnie's original today. The Fall has covered quite a number of old songs, usually in a way that sounds nothing like the original, even changing the lyrics. But this one sounds to me very faithful to the original. I'd be curious to see what Lonnie's fans think. I won't include a link but it's easy to find on youtube-- "The Fall Pinball Machine"