Charley's Picture Lyrics - Porter Wagoner

A wino we called Charley had a picture that he wore around his neck upon a chain 

But you couldn't see the face in Charley's picture 

Just long brown hair and a poem in the frame 

We tried and tried to see old Charley's picture 

But we couldn't even tempt him with the wine 

His shaking hands would tightly grip the picture 

And he'd recite the poem one more time 

You grace this frame the picture of perfection 

While I'm the perfect picture of disgrace 

And upon your name I'll swear until I'm worthy 

I forbid my eyes to look upon your face 

Old Charley froze to death one Sunday morning 

We found him and I guess you know the rest 

Someone removed the poem from his picture 

And the chilling truth lay framed upon his chest 

As I knelt beside his body the picture lay there before my anxious eyes 

And with trembling lips I whispered the words of Charley's poem 

As I stared into the face of Jesus Christ 

You grace this frame...