Dave Dudley Ballad Of Forty Dollars Lyrics

The man who preached the funeral
Said it really was a simple way to die
He laid down to rest one afternoon
And never opened up his eyes

They hired me and Fred and Joe
To dig the grave and carry up some chairs
It took us seven hours and I guess
We must've drunk a case of beer

I guess I oughta go and watch them
Put him down but I don't own the suit
And anyway when they start talkin' 'bout the fire
And hell, well I get spooked

So I'll just sit here in my truck
And act like I don't know him when they pass
Anyway when they're all through
I've got to go to work and mow the grass

Well, here they come and who's that ridin'
In that big ole shiny limousine
Look at all that chrome, I do believe that
That's the sharpest thing I've seen

That must belong to his rich uncle Someone said he owned a great big farm
When they get parked, I'll mosey down
And look it over that won't do no harm

Well, that must be the widow in the car
And would you take a look at that
That sure is a pretty dress
You know some women do look good in black

He's not even in the ground
And they say that his track is up for sale
They say she took it pretty hard
But you can't tell too much behind a veil

Well, listen, ain't that pretty
When that bugler plays the military taps?
I think that when you's in the war
They always hired and played a song like that

Well, here I am and there they go
And I guess you'd just call it my bad luck
I hope he'll rest in peace but trouble is
That fellow owes me forty bucks