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 and 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 tenn-o-see



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 better put that old guitar away,

There ain't no money in it, it'll 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 gonna carry on somehow

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

Well, i know there's a lotta big preachers that know a lot more than i do

But it could be that the good lord likes a little pickin' too

Yeah, i remember the year that clayton delaney died




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