Cal Smith - Ballad Of Forty Dollars Lyrics

The man who preached the funeral said it really was a simple way to die

He laied down to rest one afternoon and never opened up his eyes

They hired me and Fred and Joe to dig the grave and carry up some chairs

It took us seven hours and I guess we must have drunk a case of beer



I guess I oughta go and watch them put him down but I don't own the suit

And anyway when they start talkin' bout the fire and hell well I get spooked

So I'll just sit here in my truck and act like I don't know him when they pass

And ayway when they're all through I've got to go to work and mow the grass



Well here they come and who's that riding in that big ol' shiny limousine

Look at all that chrome I do believe that that's the sharpest thing I've seen

That must belong to his great Uncle someone said he owned a big ol' farm

When they get parked I'll mosey down and look it over that won't do no harm



Well that must be the widow in the car and would you take a look at that

That sure is a pretty dress you know some women do look good in black

But he's not even in the ground and they say his track is up for sale

They say she took it pretty hard but you can't tell too much behind a veil



Well listen ain't that pretty when the bugler plays the military taps

I think that when you's in the war they always hired and played a song like that

Well here I am and there they go and I guess you'd call it my bad luck

I hope he'll rest in peace but trouble is the fellow owed me forty bucks