the ballad of mr. jenkins lyrics

With skin as tough as a burlap sack
He had his second heart attack
Last summer but he?s still goin?

There?s a melancholy in his eyes
For all of you who care enough
To wonder why, well, let me tell you

It all started back in 1957
When ole Walt Disney took him by surprise
That?s the day Old Yeller died

Well, that twelve year old became a man
Eleven years too soon in Vietnam
With his best friend Tommy

They were tough as nails and southern born
And awfully proud to wear that uniform
Then things got scary

On April 4th, Tommy left for Heaven
The same year the world was taken by surprise
That?s the day Martin Luther died

So before you judge him you need to know
There?s more to that old man than what you
See there on that barstool with a Bourbon in his hand

You heard about his younger years
But don?t leave now there?s more to hear
That might explain the pain in that old man

How quick America forgot
About the only war they?d lost
And life goes on, that?s what they tell ya

No ticker tape no reason why
Might have never seen the end of that chapter
Of his life, if he hadn?t met Betty

They got married in December 1980
No doubt it was the best day of his life
Two days before John Lennon died

So before you judge him you need to know
There?s more to that old man than what you
See there on that barstool with a bourbon in his hand

Now we?ve covered chapter two
I can almost see a change in you
There?s still a lot of life in that old man

He hadn?t had a drink in at least a year
To tell the truth I?m shocked he?s here
But as long as he wants ?em, I?m gonna pour ?em

Before you came in I asked him why
He just raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes
And then he told me

I?ve seen so much in my life I?ve never questioned
This time the good Lord took me by surprise
Yesterday my Betty died

With skin as tough as a burlap sack
He had his second heart attack
Last summer but he?s still goin?