Black Texas Dirt

(album: The Kansas City Song - 1970)

Mama and papa spent the very best years
Of their life on the west Texas farm
Trying to scratch a living from the black land dirt
That traded them only with storm.

From way before sunup to way up to sundown
Papa walked behind that ol' mule
Until the day that they laid him away
He lived by the golden rule.

Black Texas dirt you're full of hurt
And you won't grow nothing but weeds
You took my mama and papa, it's true
But you ain't a gonna get me.

[Instrumental]

Yes, sun and the rain, well they took everything
'cept the dirt that would fly in my face
I swore that someday that I'd find me a way
To take me away from this place.

I packed up my belongings for soon
I'd be going far off to start a new life
And I'd better hurry or I'd have to worry
About those dark clouds in the sky.

As I reached the gate and turned to take one last look
At the old homeplace where I was born
I thought I could hear voices calling to me
But then I thought no that just must be the storm.

I couldn't get over the feeling something was wrong
That I was leaving something behind
I couldn't put my finger on it
But I couldn't get that off my mind.

It seemed as if the wind was mama's and papa's voices
And that they were pleading with me to stay
And that the rain was tears that the skies were shedding
Because I was going away.

But then like a bolt of lightning from out the blue
Oh, that feelings got over me like a flood
And for the very first time in my life, I knew
I had black Texas dirt in my blood.

Black Texas dirt you're full of hurt
And you won't grow nothing but weeds
You took my mama and papa, it's true
And now you're a gonna take me...