Billy Jack Washburn

verse 1: From Maine to San Francisco, for years, I rode the rails Coast to coast, and border to border, I've been in about every jail One night around the Golden Gate, I caught a freight, and layin' in the bottom of the boxcar was a man Named Billy Jack Washburn Through the rain and the wind the train was flyin', I knew the man was layin' there dyin' I had to try and save a man, with nothin' but my two bare hands and I did He was just a kid verse 2: Now me and Billy Jack, we laid around a few hobo camps for awhile 'Til Billy Jack got his strength back, and the sunshine gave him back his smile We decided we would leave, and head on down to New Orleans, and we did Me and the kid But things weren't like they were before, I never had a friend jumpin' from the door I treated him like I was his dad, and gave him everything I had, which was nothin' Just the love for a friend, and a friend he was, 'til I lost him Bridge: Billy Jack Washburn was his name I lost him down around Jacksonville, when he fell from the train I rolled off, and I hit the ground I picked his body up and carried him all the way back to town He was a friend of mine verse 3: Now here I am, in Macon, Georgia, to help lay Billy Jack in the ground And by the way, Macon, Georgia, is my hometown When I picked his billfold up, I saw a picture of his mama and her name And I cried like a baby 'Cuz his mama, and my mama were the same Well I haven't been home in twenty-six years, and when I do come home, it has to be like this Sometimes old lady fate, she deals a terrible kiss Bridge 2: Billy Jack Washburn was his so-called name I lost him down around Jacksonville, when he fell from the train But I lost more than a friend I'll never see my brother again