Old Courthouse

(album: Story Songs For Country Folks - 1964)

A hello oh hello Jim
Yeah I just walked in the house myself
Oh it's a fact alright they're gonna tear the ol' courthouse down
I heard about it in town just before I left
Municipal building some of 'em said they're gonna call it
Bigger and better all around
Naw they ain't gonna have no voting on it
They just decided to tear the ol' courthouse down
Oh I'm like you Jim I reckon I hate to see it go
Why when I's just a boy in my teens
Pa brought me to town for the first time
That was the first big building I'd ever seen
Later bought the license to marry the woman there
Paid taxes on my first piece of land
Voted the first time right there in them ol' wooden halls
I reckon that ol' building watched a lot of us grow into men
Got the children's birth certificates there
All of 'em still living 'cept one
It was the big war Jim you remember
You remember doncha that's where we lost him
The rest of 'ems all married up now and
They got little time for us ol' folks
I reckon that new buildin's for them
Yeah it's gonna be a big one cover the square
Won't have a yard yeah right out to the street
Course that ain't gonna leave no room to argue religion and politics
Or the champion checker players to meet
You know now that they're tearing that ol' courthouse down
It seems like I'm losing a friend
Dad burn it Jim that building ain't no older than I am
Guess a feller oughta prepare I reckon for the end
What's that you say Jim
Oh yeah I'll meet you there in town Saturday like I always have
Why I guess out in the street I guess Jim
Yeah but then the courthouse and the wooden benches'll all be gone
There won't be no where to sit down and rest
Hey Jim 'fore you ring off you know I's thinking
If there's ever day place in the Promise Land you know
An off duty congregation ground
I believe I'd be happy with that ol' courthouse yard
Where our Lord'll walk up and say welcome
Here's your place come on feller
Sit down sit down

When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there