The Year That Clayton Delaney Died Songtext
von Tom T. Hall

I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
They said for the last two weeks that he suffered and cried
It made a big impression on me, although I was a barefoot kid
They said he got religion at the end, and I′m glad that he did

Clayton was the best guitar picker in our town
I thought he was a hero and I used to follow Clayton around
I often wondered why Clayton, who seemed so good to me
Never took his guitar and made it down in Tennessee


Well daddy said he drank a lot but I could never understand
I knew he used to pick up in Ohio with a five-piece band
And Clayton used to tell me son, you'd better put that ol′ guitar away
There ain't no money in it, it will lead you to an early grave

I guess if I'd admit it, Clayton taught me how to drink booze
I can see him half stoned a-pickin′ out the lovesick blues
When Clayton died I made him a promise, I was going to carry on somehow
I′d give a hundred dollars, if he could only see me now

I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
Nobody ever knew it, but I went out in the woods and I cried
While I know there's a lot of big preachers that know a lot more than I do
But it could be that the good Lord likes a little pickin′ too

Yeah, I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died