Tom Ames' Prayer

Steve Earle ( /ˈɜrl/; born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor. Earle grew up near San Antonio, Texas, and began learning the guitar at age 11. more »

Year:: 1995
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Playlists:: #1

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Everyone in Nacadoches knew Tom Ame's would come to some bad end 
Well the sheriff had caught him stealin' chickens and such 
By the time that he was ten 

And one day his daddy took a ten dollar bill 
And he tucked it in his hand 
He said I can tell you're headed for trouble son 
And your momma wouldn't understand 

So he took that money and his brothers old bay 
And he left without a word of thanks 
Fell in with a crowd in some border town 
And took to robbing banks 

Well outside the law your luck will run out fast 
And a few years came and went 
'Till he's trapped in an alley in Abilene 
With all but four shells spent 

And he realized praying was the only thing 
That he hadn't ever tried 
Well he wasn't sure he knew quite how 
But he looked up to the sky 

Said you don't owe me nothing and as far as I know 
Lord don't owe nothing to you 
And I ain't asking for a miracle Lord 
Just a little bit of luck will do 

And you know I ain't never prayed before 
But it always seemed to me 
If praying is the same as begging Lord 
I don't take no charity 

Yeah but right now Lord with my back to the wall 
Can't help but recall 
How they nearly hung me for stealing a horse 
In Fort Smith Arkansas 

Judge Parker said guilty and the gavel came down 
Just like a cannon shot 
And I went away quietly 
And I began to file and plot 

Well they sent the preacher down to my cell 
He said the Lord is your only hope 
He's the only friend that you gonna have 
When you hit the end of Parker's rope 

Well I guess he could of kept on preaching till Christmas 
But he turned his back on me 
I put a home made blade to that golden throat 
And asked the deputy for the key 

Well it ain't the first close call I ever had 
As I'm sure you already know 
I had some help from you Lord and the devil himself 
It's been strictly touch and go 
Yeah but who in the hell am I talking to 
There ain't no one here but me 
And then he cocked both his pistols and he spit in the dirt 
And he walked out in the street