AROUND TOWNES VAN ZANDT

The name she gave was Caroline 
The daughter of a miner 
And her ways were free and it seemed to me 
The sunshine walked beside her 
She come from Spencer 'coss the hill 
She said her Pa had sent her 
'Cause the coal was low and soon the snow 
Would tuwn the skies to winter 

Well she said she'd come to look for work 
She was not seeking favors 
For a dime a day and a place to stay 
She'd turn those hands to labor 

The times were hard Lord the jobs were few 
All through Tecumseh Valley 
But she asked around and a job she found 
Tending bar for Gypsy Sally 

She saved enough to get back home 
When spring replaced the winter 
But her dreams were denied her Pa had died 
The word came down from Spencer 

She turned to whorin' out on the streets 
With all the lust inside her 
It was many a man returned again 
To lay himself beside her 

Well they found her down beneath the stairs 
That led to Gypsy Sally's 
In her hand when she died 
Was a note that cried 
Fare thee well Tecumseh Valley

If I needed you would you come to me,
Would you come to me, and ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain

In the night forlorn the morning's born
And the morning shines with the lights of love
You will miss sunrise if you close your eyes
That would break my heart in two

The lady's with me now since I showed her how
To lay her lily hand in mine
Loop and Lil agree she's a sight to see
And a treasure for the poor to find

Living on the road my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath's as hard as kerosene
You weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boys
His horse was fast as polished steel
Wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dying words
That's the way it goes

All the federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him hang around
Out of kindness I suppose

Lefty he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
There ain't nobody knows

All the federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness I suppose

The poets tell how Pancho fell
Lefty's livin' in a cheap hotel
The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold
So the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too
He just did what he had to do
Now he's growing old

A few gray federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him go so wrong
Out of kindness I suppose