Recitation: The Proudest Fiddle In The World

(album: Let Me Tell You About A Song - 1972)

[Spoken:]
Merle titled this album Let Me Tell You About A Song
But right now let me tell you about a fiddle
One that was given to Merle out of kindness by the great Bob Wills
After leaving the Wills' home that day
Merle was so moved he just sat and stared silently at the fiddle for a long time
Finally he said wish this fiddle could talk
Then he said on second thought
What if that fiddle that's in the Hall of Fame
The one he played on San Antonio Rose could just talk
What a story it could tell
And Merle said I think if I were that fiddle this is what I'd say

[Sang:]
Who I am and what I was I'm sure the whole world knows
Why I'm the great Bob Wills fiddle that played on San Antonio Rose
But I lay here now in the Hall of Fame a show piece that no one plays
And my tone that used to thrill the dancing crowds is gone
with the good ole days.

I wish my strings could just talk and tell my story to all the passing fans
Boy I'd I'd even like to rear back and play a break down
But I can't do it without the master's hands
Yeah I was part of something great and I know it
I even played on the Old Brown Skin Girl
Tho my strings are old and dusty now
I'm still the proudest fiddle in the world...