DON'T FORGET THE COFFEE BILLY JOE
(Tom T. Hall)

Tom T. Hall


It snowed the night before and it had frozen on the ground 
We didn't have a car and we lived seven miles from town 
And I can hear my daddy's voice so many years ago 
Saying, "Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe."
"Mama needs her medicine, she's got that real bad cough 
We'll get our check on Monday, tell ol' Sam we'll pay him off 
You can catch a ride when you get to the black-top road 
Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe"

Me and Quentin went back on the hill 
and we cut some wood Burnin' 
in that ol' warm mornin' stove 
it sure smelled good 
Daddy couldn't get work then and I was just a child 
And God was on vacation for awhile

"Well, if you see Fred you tell him I'll come help him kill them hogs 
And ask him if he'd still be interested in my dogs 
Don't hang around that pool room all day, we might get more snow 
And don't forget the coffee Billy Joe"

Well, they wonder why there ain't no rabbits left this day 
and time To tell the truth 
I guess we ate 'em all in '49 
Was that yesterday or was it over 20 years ago 

"Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe"
"Mama needs her medicine, she's got that real bad cough 
We'll get our check on Monday 
tell ol' Sam we'll pay him off 
You can catch a ride when you get to the black-top road 
Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe (Now pay attention, son) 
Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe"