HOMECOMING
(Tom T. Hall)


Bobby Bare - 1969
Tom T. Hall - 1969
The Country Ramblers - 1969
David Houston - 1969
Cal Smith - 1970
Don Bowman - 1972
Doug Sahm - 1973
Joe Henry - 1998





I guess I should've written, Dad
To let you know that I was comin' home
I've been gone so many years
I didn't realize you had a phone
I saw your cattle comin' in
Boy they're lookin' mighty fat and slick
I saw Fred at the service station
Told me that his wife was awful sick
 
You heard my record on the radio
Oh, well it's just another song
But I've got a hit recorded 
And it'll be out on the market 'fore too long
I got this ring in Mexico, and no
It didn't cost me quite a bunch
When you're in the business that I'm in
People call it puttin' up a front
 
I know I've lost a little weight
I guess I am looking kind of pale
If you didn't know me better, Dad
You'd think that I'd just gotten out of jail
No, we don't ever call them beer joints
Nightclubs are the places where I work
You meet a lot of people there
But no, there ain't no chance o' gettin' hurt
 
I'm sorry that I couldn't be here with you all 
When Mom passed away
I was on the road and when they came 
And told me it was just too late
I drove by the grave to see her
Boy, that really is a pretty stone
I'm glad that Fred and Jan are here
It's better than you bein' here alone
 
Well I knew you's gonna ask me 
Who the lady is that's sleepin' in the car
That's just a girl who works for me 
And, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar
We worked in San Antone last night
She didn't even have the time to dress
She drove me down from Nashville 
And to tell the truth, I guess she needs the rest
 
Well, Dad, I gotta go
We got a dance to work in Cartersville tonight
Let me take your number down
I'll call you, and I promise you I'll write
Now you be good and don't be chasin' 
All those pretty women that you know
And by the way if you see Barbara Walker
Tell her that I said "Hello"






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - June 2012)