Lyr Req: My Old Man (Jerry Jeff Walker)

03 Apr 98 - 11:24 PM (#25080)
Subject: Lyrics: My Old Man
From: Axe

I'm looking for the lyrics to the song "My Old Man" as sung by Jerry Jeff Walker on an album called Walker's Collectibles. I'm not sure who wrote it, whether it was Jerr Jeff or Steve Goodman or ???

The song starts:

My old man had a rounder's soul, Heard an old freight train, and he had to go, ....

Any one know the lyrics or where I can find them???

Thanks ....

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04 Apr 98 - 03:54 AM (#25088)
Subject: Lyr Add: MY OLD MAN (Jerry Jeff Walker)
From: Joe Offer

There are two songs, Axe. Steve Goodman's is a good song, too, but I think it would be difficult for anybody but Steve to do. Maybe somebody else will post that one. Here's the one by Jerry Jeff Walker.

MY OLD MAN
Words and music by Jerry Jeff Walker
As recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker on “Mr Bojangles” (1968)
©1968, Cotillion Music, Inc., & Danel Music, Inc.

My old man had a rounder's soul.
He'd hear an old freight train, and then he'd have to go.

He said he'd been blessed with a gypsy bone,
And that's the reason, I guess, that he'd been cursed to roam.

He came to town back before the war,
And didn't even know what it was that he was lookin' for.

He carried a tattered bag for his violin,
Full of lots of songs and the places he'd been.

He talked real easy and had a smiling way.
He’d pass along to you when his fiddle played,

Makin' people drop their cares and woes,
To hum out loud those tunes that his fiddle bowed.

Those people there began to join that sound,
And ev’ryone in town was laughing, singing, dancing 'round.

Like the fiddler's tunes were all they heard that night,
Like some dream that says all the world is right.

The fiddler's eye caught one lady there.
She had that rolling flowing golden kind of hair.

He played for her as if she danced alone.
He played his fav'rite songs, the ones he called his own.

She alone was dancing in the room,
The only thing left moving to that fiddler's tune.

He played until she was the last to go,
Then he stopped and packed his case, said he'd take her home.

And all the nights that passed, a child was born,
And all the years that passed, love would keep them warm.

And all their lives they'd share that dream come true,
All because she danced so well his fiddle tune.

But the train next mornin' blew a lonesome sound,
As if she sang the blues of what she’d took from town.

And all that I recall, said when I was young,
Was no one else could really sing those songs he sung.

Chords: D Em / A D :// ^^^

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04 Apr 98 - 08:53 AM (#25094)
Subject: RE: Lyrrics: My Old Man
From: Axe

Joe,

Thanks a lot. Believe it or not I haven't heard the Steve Goodman one even though I think he's one of the nest songwriter's to have come through the scene ever. I guess I'll have to go out to the local CD store and get some more Goodman!

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04 Apr 98 - 11:00 AM (#25102)
Subject: RE: Lyrrics: My Old Man
From: Ian HP

Is your query answered? Do you have the right song? There is a wonderful song by the same name by Ewan MacColl about his father. If you're interested, add to the thread and I'll post the lyrics.

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04 Apr 98 - 02:15 PM (#25121)
Subject: RE: Lyrrics: My Old Man
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Ian - Click here for the one by Jerry Jeff Walker, which is now in the Digital Tradition. MacColl's "My Old Man" is a great one, too. It's in the database here, so there's no need to bother typing it up and posting it.
The database also has one by Rosanne Cash here. I haven't heard that one, but the lyrics are great. I wonder if it's about Johnny Cash, or just about fathers in general.
Anybody want to post the Steve Goodman lyrics for us?
-Joe Offer-

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Goodman's "My Old Man" is here (click).

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04 Apr 98 - 10:00 PM (#25161)
Subject: RE: Lyrrics: My Old Man
From: chet w

The only place I heard the Steve Goodman song was when John Prine sang it on Austin City Limits once. Look for reruns. He told the story of how Goodman had called him from a phone by the road somewhere to sing the song, which he had just written.

Chet W.

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