Hand Me Down

(album: Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts - 1996)

I went down to the country music hall of fame.
They had asked me to bring them more of daddy's things.
They said,"Hank you know someday you may go in here with him"
And I thought about the note he wrote but I've never told none of them.
I've got songs of his no one has seen and momentoes that sure chill,
But that note I found in his guitar case made me cry like a wipperwill.

He said son this is my old guitar and it's for you only to play
And I hope you make it ring and talk in our good ole family way
And if you make it to the top Bocephus, boy I'll be so proud,
But listen to me son, when the time comes take this guitar and hand me down.

Hand me down if your weary,
Hand me down son if you get sick or tired.
Hand me down when the time comes,
Don't hang on to long to these sad ole songs.
Hand me down.

So I took his note and put it back into his guitar case
And I realized how long I've been on the road and how many shows I've played,
And sometimes late at night standing in front of some big crowd
I swear I've heard him call my name and tell me "Hand me down".

Hand me down if your weary.
Hand me down son if you just get tired,
Hand me down my son to your son.
Teach him all your songs and how his granddaddy moaned
And tell that boy to carry on.

You teach him all your songs
And how his granddaddy moaned
And tell that boy "Hand me down".