San Francisco Mabel Joy lyrics

Song information

Artist: Waylon Jennings
Album: Lonesome On'ry And Mean

Lyrics

Verse 1:
A d a
His daddy was a honest man,a red dirt georgia farmer
E
His mama lived a short life having kids and bailing hay
A d a
He had fifteen years of ache inside to wander
E a
He jumped a freight in waycross and wound up in l.a

Verse 2:
A d a
The cold nights had no pity on that waycross georgia farm boy
E
Most days he went hungry,then the summer came
A d a
He met a girl known on the strip as san francisco mabel joy
E a
Destitutions child born on an l.a. street called shame

Verse 3:
D a
Growing up came quietly in the arms of mabel joy
E
Laughter found their mornings it brought new meaning to his life
D a
The night before she left sleep came and found that waycross country boy
E a
With dreams of georgia cotton and california wine

Verse 4:
D a
Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door
E
A right cross sent him reeling and put him face down on the floor
D a
Inplace of mabel joy he found a merchant mad marine
E
He said your georgia neck is red,but sonny you're still green

Verse 5:
A d a
He turned twenty-one in grey rock federal prison
E
The judge had no mercy on this waycross,georgia boy
A d a
Staring at those four grey wall in silence,lord he listened
E
To the midnight freight he knew could take him back to mabel joy

Verse 6:
D a
Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door
E
With a bullet in his side he cried,have you seen mabel joy
D a
Stunned and shaken someone said she don't live here no more
E
She left this house four years ago she was looking for
D
Some georgia farm boy