Story Behind The Song

This man really came to our choir practice, and really played the guitar and banjo well. He used to have a life in Memphis, and played on country bands. The alcohol got to him and he ended up sleeping on the streets of Immokalee, Florida. In the end, he died, and his brother came and took his body home to Memphis.

Song Description

True story about a homeless man who came to choir practice and ended up moving the hearts of the choir members with his playing and singing. They hope they can save him, but, he dies of a heart attack in front of the homeless shelter. The singer laments, "I hope somebody brings him home to Memphis."

Lyrics

One night at choir practice, a homeless man came in the door
He asked to play, my guitar / and he danced across the floor
His tired face looked sixty / his grey eyes showed his pain
But I was amazed at the way he played - One of the best I'd e - ver seen.

He sang Orange Blossom Special / addin' a touch of blues
About comin' on down to Florida / to get sand in his shoes
But he ended up here living / in the streets of Immokalee
A little sad and a lot confused / as far from the beach as he -could be.

CHORUS:

When I asked him, "What'd you do, and where'd you go, to come --- this low?"
He shook his head and shrugged and said, - "I don't know."
"There was a time I had a life,
A house, a dog, and a real nice wife.
Sang and played in country bands
But all my dreams slipped outa my hands
I don't know how I got so far from Memphis."


VERSE 3:

He came around to see us / every now and then
He couldn't follow the songs we played / but we / cared --- for Raymond
He might have been Bojangles / in a different time and wind.
Between the music and the Lord / I hoped --- that we could save him
When I asked him, "What'd you do, and where'd you go, to come --- this low?"
He shook his head and shrugged and said, - "I don't know."

"There was a time I had a life,
A house, a dog, and a real nice wife.
Sang and played in country bands
But all my dreams slipped outa my hands
I don't know how I got so far from Memphis."

VERSE 4:

The last time I saw Raymond / he said, "I can't play today."
He'd been in jail, he looked real pale / 'did a weak dance as he walked away
Later, at the Friendship House / they saw him fall outside
A heart attack - they couldn't bring him back / --- Raymond died




BRIDGE (Spoken):

When I heard the news, I started prayin' / that somebody would come to claim him
'Cause the saddest thing about homeless men / is that some of them never go home again.

CHORUS:

There was a time he had a life,
A house, a dog, and a real nice wife.
Sang and played in country bands
But all his dreams slipped outa his hands
His brother came and took him home to Memphis
I don't know how he got so far from Memphis.