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'd better put that ol' guitar away

There ain't no money in it

It will 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 going to carry on some how

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

While I know there's a lot of big preachers

That know a lot more than I do

It could be that the good Lord

Likes a little pickin' too



Yeah I remember THE YEAR

THAT CLAYTON DELANEY DIED