4th Place
“‘69 Hummingbird”
Bernie Nelson
Dickson, Tennessee
Videos by American Songwriter
Found him out in front of the mission
Playing on this old guitar, bumming tips
And cigarettes, drinking from a mason jar.
He said, “You know I moved to Nashville, back in ’68
Next year I bought this Gibson thinking I was on my way.
(Chorus 1)
And he played “Fire On The Mountain,” and “I Saw The Light”
Said he jammed with Johnny Cash down at Tootsie’s late one night
He said, “Ain’t but two things in this whole dang world to me that have any worth
And that’s my King James Bible and this ’69 Hummingbird.
He said he went to Vietnam and things were different when he got home.
‘Cause everybody was playing the Beatles and getting stoned.
Said, “You know I made a record once right down there on Music Row
Nobody paid it any mind but that’s just the way it goes.”
(Chorus 2)
And he played “Wild Horses” and “Tiger By The Tail”
Said, “Boy you just ain’t country if you don’t play “Long Black Veil”
Ain’t but two things in this whole wide world to me that have any worth
That’s my King James Bible and this ’69 Hummingbird.
(Bridge)
Never saw that old man again, I heard he passed away
bBut I found that old guitar in a pawn shop the other day
In the case he left behind that bible and a note
Saying ,”Jesus told me he loved me and tonight I’m going home.”
(Chorus 3)
So I played “Walk In The Garden,” “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,”
“Rock Of Ages” and “Amazing Grace”
Now ain’t but two things in this whole dang world to me that have any worth
And that’s my King James bible and that ’69 Hummingbird.
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