Gravedigger Jones

He had a small patch just a piece down the road
But it never growed enough for the bills that he owed
So he took on small jobs - whatever he could find
No matter what the work, well, he never seemed to mind

He even took the job that nobody else could hold
Out behind the church just a diggin' them holes
We never knew his name - not the one his momma gave
Just called him Digger Jones on account o' them graves

And he dig the hole. . . he just dig the hole

He never knew his daddy who died when he was small
Didn't have no kinfolk except for his old ma
Never took a wife and no one quite knew why
But one thing we all knew - he'd be alone when he died

He spent most his days workin' on his land
Or pickin' up some work whenever he can
But every so often you'd see him come to town
And the way he walk you knew he'd soon be six feet down

As he dig the hole. . .yeah he dig the hole
Just shy of three feet wide and six to the bottom
And a little bit longer than the length of the coffin
Yeah he dig the hole. . .
And Gravedigger Jones - he's blue to the bone

But later at night when the work was all through
He'd sit down with his guitar and he'd play him some blues
Digger had a voice that cried out with his pain
Close his eyes breath a sigh and the words just came

He sang for the fallen and for the grievin' too
Wash away his sorrow while he sang him them blues
I'd visit when I could and maybe learn a trick or two
'Cause one thing was for sure - Digger'd paid his dues

Yeah Gravedigger Jones - he's blue to the bone

Digger never complained about the life that he led
He shouldered every burden even buryin' our dead
But the hardest damn thing that the townfolk ever saw
Was the day that Digger Jones dug a grave for his ma

But he dig the hole. . . Poor man just dig the hole

Later that night his momma laid in the ground
Digger sang his blues when the sun went down
He sang through the night til he seen the sunrise come
And when it finally rose up, well, at last he was done

Was the best I ever heard him - I can't tell you how I cried
When I saw that with his last note Digger Jones had died

Now who'll dig the hole? Could you help me dig the hole?
Just shy of three feet wide and six to the bottom
And a little bit longer than the length of the coffin
Help me dig the hole
I'll do it this once but I can't do it often
Help me dig the hole
And Gravedigger Jones - he's blue to the bone

© - 2004, Lane Baldwin

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