San Francisco Mabel Joy Lyrics - Waylon Jennings

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. 

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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 

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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