You'd've thought a king had died,
The way those people cried,
Instead of one more broken entertainer.
[Kristofferson:]
It struck those in his trade,
He could-a had it made,
If he'd only been a little saner.
[Jennings:]
They traveled far to see him.
Oh, the humble and the high.
They said goodbye as if he were a friend.
[All:]
Now somewhere he is smilin',
On those who idolize him.
But would they not recognize him,
If he came back again?
[Nelson:]
He was born of modest means,
And had outrageous dreams.
They never let him rest till he fullfilled them.
[Cash:]
While he rode that train of song,
His devils tagged along.
The whiskey and the pills just couldn't kill him.
[Nelson:]
He didn't mean to be a rebel.
[Cash:]
No the real ones never do.
[Nelson:]
They are born apart from ordinary men.
[All:]
And somewhere he is smilin',
On those who sanctify him.
But would they not recognize him,
If he came back again?
[Jennings:]
But it's an old, familiar story.
[Kristofferson:]
But it's a damn shame nonetheless.
[Nelson:]
They don't forgive his kind,
[Cash:]
Until they lay them down to rest.
[All:]
And somewhere he is smilin',
On those who idolize him.
But would they not recognize him,
If he came back again?
If he came back again?
[Cash attempts to sing the last line again and that seems to be wrong and very funny to everyone.]