Tom Ames' Prayer-Steve Earle

[ti:Tom Ames' Prayer (Album Versio] [ar:Steve Earle] [al:Train A Comin'] [by:] [offset:0] [00:04.76]Everyone in Nacadoches knew Tom Ames would come to some bad end [00:08.75] [00:09.40]Well the sheriff had cought him stealin' chickens and such [00:11.93]By the time that he was ten [00:14.05]And one day his daddy took a ten dollar bill [00:16.79]And he tucked it in his hand [00:18.74]He said I can tell you're headed for trouble son [00:21.60]And your momma wouldn't understand [00:23.92]So he took that money and his brothers old bay [00:26.34]And he left without a word of thanks [00:28.28] [00:28.89]Fell in with a crowd in some border town [00:31.69]And took to robbin' banks [00:33.53] [00:46.76]Outside the law your luck will run out fast [00:49.32]And a few years came and went [00:51.50]'Till he's trapped in an alley in Abilene [00:53.64]With all but four shells spent [00:56.19]And he realized prayin' was the only thing [00:58.56]That he hadn't ever tried [01:00.87]Well he wasn't sure he knew quite how [01:03.37]But he looked up to the sky [01:05.24]Said you don't owe me nothin' and as far as I know [01:07.98]Lord don't owe nothin' to you [01:10.11]And I ain't askin' for a miracle Lord [01:12.79]Just a little bit of luck will do [01:14.98]And you know I ain't never prayed before [01:17.46]But it always seemed to me [01:20.03]If prayin' is the same as beggin' Lord [01:22.28]I don't take no charity [01:23.99] [01:35.62]Yeah but right now Lord with my back to the wall [01:37.93]Can't help but recall [01:38.99] [01:39.86]How they nearly hung me for stealin' a horse [01:42.48]In Fort Smith Arkansas [01:43.60] [01:44.71]Judge Parker said guilty and the gavel came down [01:47.20]Just like a cannon shot [01:48.58] [01:49.47]And I went away quietly [01:50.72] [01:51.54]And I began to file and plot [01:54.17]Well they sent the preacher down to my cell [01:56.79]He said the Lord is your only hope [01:58.98]He's the only friend that you gonna have [02:01.35]When you hit the end of Parker's rope [02:03.60]Well I guess he coulda' kept on preachin' 'till Christmas [02:06.21]But he turned his back on me [02:08.04]I put a home made blade to that golden throat [02:10.72]And asked the deputy for the key [02:12.46] [02:32.90]Well it ain't the first close call I ever had [02:34.96]I'm sure you already know [02:36.99]I had some help from you Lord and the devil himself [02:39.67]It's been strictly touch and go [02:41.98]Yeah but who in the hell am I talkin' to [02:44.28]There ain't no one here but me [02:46.60]Then he cocked both his pistols and he spit in the dirt [02:49.60]And he walked out in the street