The Year That Clayton Delaney Died

(Tom T. Hall) I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died They said for the last two weeks that he suffered and cried It made a big impression on me, although I was a barefoot kid They said he got religion at the end and I`m glad that he did. Clayton was the best guitar picker in our town I thought he was a hero, I used to follow Clayton around I often wondered why Clayton who seemed so good to me Never took his guitar and made it down in Tennessee. Well daddy said, he drank a lot but I could never understand I knew he used to pick up in Ohio with a five piece band Clayton used to tell me "Son, you`d better put that ol` guitar away There ain`t no money in it, it will lead you to an early grave." I guess if I`d admit it Clayton taught me how to drink booze I can see him half stoned a-pickin` out the Lovesick Blues When Clayton died I made him a promise, I was going to carry on some how I`d give a hundred dollars if he could only see me now. I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died Nobody ever knew it but I went out in the woods and I cried While I know there`s a lot of big preachers That know a lot more than I do It could be that the good Lord Likes a little pickin` too. Yeah, I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died...