Lyrics

A LIFE OF CRIME
©Johnnie Lawson 2007

MY LIFE STARTED OUT ROCKY, IN THE HILLS OF IDAHO
HIGH UPM ON A MOUNTAIN TOP WITH NOWHERE TO GO
BY THE TIME I HIT THE CITY I WAS A YOUNG MAN IN MY PRIME
SINCE I COULDN'T READ NOR WRITE, I TURNED TO A LIFE OF CRIME

NOW, THE FIRST THING THAT I STOLE
WAS THE MAYOR'S DAUGHTER'S HEART
BUT HE CALLED ME A BUM AND DID ALL HE COULD DO TO KEEP US APART
AND THEN I STOLE A BLANKET, RIGHT OFF FROM HIS FRONT PORCH
HELL, I HAD TO KEEP HIS DAUGHTER WARM
IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY FORD

NOW, THEY PICK ME UP FOR NOTHIN'
AND THEY PUT ME DOWN FOR LESS
LORD, I GET INTO TROUBLE JUST BY DOING MY VERY BEST
AND WHEN I DIE THEY'RE GONNA WRITE MY EPITAPH IN STONE
(saying) WE COULDN'T REIGN HIM IN, SO LORD,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE HIM HOME

NOW, THE SHERIFF WAS A FRIEND OF THE MAYOR
AND HE ACTED MIGHTY TOUGH
HE SAID, SON, I'M GONNA CATCH YOU DOIN' WRONG AND LOCK YOU UP
SO IT STRUCK ME KINDA FUNNY, WHEN I LEFT TOWN THAT WEEK
CAUSE THE SHERIFF'S ONE AND ONLY DAUGHTER
WAS A'SITTIN' RIGHT NEXT TO ME

NOW, THEY PICK ME UP FOR NOTHIN'
AND THEY PUT ME DOWN FOR LESS
LORD, I GET INTO TROUBLE JUST BY DOING MY VERY BEST
AND WHEN I DIE THEY'RE GONNA WRITE MY EPITAPH IN STONE
(saying) WE COULDN'T REIGN HIM IN, SO LORD,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE HIM HOME

WELL, I HIT THOSE HONKY TONKS AND BARS
AND I HAD MY SHARE OF FIGHTS
MORNINGS CAME AND MORNINGS WENT AND I NEVER SAW THE LIGHT
AND AS TIME WENT BY I FOUND IT WASN'T FUN TO PLAY THAT GAME
(cuz) IT DON'T MATTER IF YOU WIN OR LOSE, IT HURTS YOU JUST THE SAME

NOW, THEY PICK ME UP FOR NOTHIN'
AND THEY PUT ME DOWN FOR LESS
LORD, I GET INTO TROUBLE JUST BY DOING MY VERY BEST
AND WHEN I DIE THEY'RE GONNA WRITE MY EPITAPH IN STONE
(saying) WE COULDN'T REIGN HIM IN, SO LORD,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE HIM HOME
(yeah) WON'T YOU BURY ME FACE DOWN, IN THE HILLS OF IDAHO
SO WHEN I DIE, THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD
CAN UP AND KISS MY ... SOUL