Golden Guitar

<br>I happened to walk into a honky tonk one night down in New Orleans<br>Up above the bar hung a big guitar like none I`d ever seen<br>The neck was set with diamonds and though the strings were old<br>Like Kings of Sound they wound around six keys of solid gold<br>A man stepped up beside me his breath was strong with wine<br>He said you know that guitar once belonged to a mighty close pal of mine<br>He used to play it right here I forget the year around `45 I think<br>Ha I could tell you quite a story friend if you`d care to buy me a drink<br>[ ac.guitar ]<br>Well I possessed by every weakness that takes a man a fool<br>I bought a round he drank it down and then he rocked back on his stool<br>He said yeah I remember now it was `45 alright<br>He just returned from the Great War that`s where he lost his sight <br>His buddies gave him that guitar at the time it was simple and plain <br>He added the gold and the diamonds as he played his way to fame<br>He was doing a show in Shreveport the night he received a call<br>To come appear on the Grand Ole Opry the greatest show at all<br>[ ac.guitar ]<br>I was driving him to Nashville it was cold and misting rain<br>The signals flashed and the whistle screamed I swear Mister I never saw that train<br>I heard the doctor tell him just after he used his knife<br>You`re lucky son it was just your arm it could have been your life<br>But he died that night life just demanded more than he could give<br>I think he couldn`ve made it he just lost his will to live<br>But this world`s loss is heaven`s gain and tonight he`s still a star<br>He plays with a band of angels that`s my son`s golden guitar