James McMurtry - Decent Man lyrics

[Verse 1] He was more than just a decent man, best friend I ever had When you're shooting at a coffee can, a thirty eight don't kick that bad But it kicks right through my bones every second of every day Clacking by like cobblestones under broken wheels And if the truth be known, I wasn't doing that well I wasn't paying attention, I brought it on myself And I blamed it on the gods that seemed to smile on everybody else I got so inside out, I didn't know what was real [Chorus] My fields are empty now And my ground won't take the plow It's washed down to gravel and stones It's only good for burying bones [Verse 2] I took the pistol off the wall, somebody hollered, "Put it back Sit down Dad before you fall down, you got no earthly use for that." But I slipped out the kitchen door, saddled up the sway backed mule Cinched her tight and swung on board, rode off like a drunken fool Rode right on off the world, just like it never mattered none There wasn't nothing but me and the hurt, and the biting cold, and the heft of that gun In the pocket of a sheepskin coat, moonlight in a madman's eye For the unfairness of it all, surely something had to die [Chorus] My fields are empty now My ground won't take the plow It's washed down to gravel and stones It's only good for burying bones [Verse 3] He came out in the lantern light His face in the flash was the last I saw of the world when it was still right I didn't watch him fall, I knew I'd hit him good, twice in the chest without a thought Turned the mule towards the county seat, like I knew I ought [Chorus] My fields are empty now My ground won't take the plow It's washed down to gravel and stones It's only good for burying bones My fields are empty now My ground won't take the plow It's washed down to gravel and stones It's only good for burying bones [Verse 4] Lola comes to visit, there's just nothing I can say We sit here of an afternoon 'til it's time for her to go away She rides home on that same mule that brought me to this place I don't know how she even stands to look upon her Daddy's face [Outro] He was more than just a decent man Best friend I ever had When you're shooting at a coffee can A thirty eight don't kick that bad