Turned My Head Around

(album: High Lonesome - 1976)

When I was very young my daddy took me on his knee
"Son, there's some things I wanna learn ya
Before you get away from me"

"Don't let nobody boss you much
And keep your money clean
Treat a woman like a lady
And your lady like a queen"

But I didn't know what he was talking about
I didn't know what he was trying to say
'Til I got out in this mean old world
And you can turn my head around the other way

When I was eighteen a lady picked me up
From off of the street
She put a new suit on my back
And new boots on my feet

I said, "Thank you, kind lady.
What do you want in return?"
She said, "Young man, put yourself in my hands
And you're damn sure gonna learn"

But I didn't know what she was talking about
I didn't know what she was trying to say
'Til she took me in the back room
And she turned my head around the other way

Right along about this time
The story is rather sad
It was about the time that I turned 21
I thought that I was bad

Then I cussed out this old man
Down here in the beer joint late one night
He said, "Son, if you wanna talk you talk
But if you wanna fight, let's fight"

But I didn't know what he was talking about
I didn't know what he was trying to say
'Til he took me out in the parking lot
And he turned my head around the other way

'Til he took me out in the parking lot
He turned my head around the other way