Ballad Of Forty Dollars Lyrics - Singles - Mel Tillis

The man who preached the funeral said it really was a simple way to die 

He laied to rest one afternoon and never opened up his eyes 

They hired me and Fred and Joe to dig the grave and carry up some chairs 

It took us seven hours and I guess we must've drunk a case of beer 

I guess I oughta go and watch them put him down but I don't own the suit 

And anyway when they start talkin' about the fire and hell well I get spooked 

So I'll just sit here in my truck and act like I don't know him when they pass 

Anyway when they're all through I've got to go to work and mow the grass 

Here they come and who's that ridin' in that big ole shiny limousine 

Look at all that chrome I do believe that's the sharpest thing I've seen 

That must belong to his rich Uncle someone said he owned a big ole farm 

When they get parked I'll mosey down and look it over that won't do no harm 

Well that must be the widow in the car and would you take a look at that 

That sure is a pretty dress you know some women do look good in black 

He's not even in the ground and they say that his track is up for sale 

They say she took it pretty hard but you can't tell too much behind a veil 

Listen ain't that pretty when the bugler plays the military taps 

I think that when you's in the war they always hired and played a song like that 

Well here I am and there they go and I guess you'd just call it my bad luck 

I hope he'll rest in peace but trouble is that fellow owes me forty bucks