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The Ballad of Larry

from Ronny Cox Live by Ronny Cox

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lyrics

Larry is a veteran, I've seen him at the store
Six pack of malt liquor, Prozac of the poor
A can of chili and a can of beans...pack of cigarettes
Four cheap cigars and he writes a check

He climbs in to his van, it's a blue Econoline
And they're both on their last legs, if looks are any sign
There's a flag on the bumper and just to the right
An eagle with a nail file saying "It's time to fight"

Chorus
You think you've got nothing to give
Look around how people live
Loneliness is poverty
Say hey, say hey to me

I had an old piano, it just didn't belong
A couple of missing keys seemed to be in every song
And even when I had it tuned it didn't sound that good
I was tempted to scrap the guts and burn the wood

So I put it in the paper, a piano for free
If you can haul it you can have it, people came to see
Some folks played "Chop Sticks" or "Heart and Soul"
But they were always hammerin' in that empty hole.

Chorus
"I hear you got a piano" he said with suspicion
He was shaking from the cold, and probably malnutrition
I said, "Hey Larry, won't you come on in
Can I fix you some coffee?" But he wasn't listening

He went straight to that piano like he'd seen an old friend
He drew his name in the dust, told me where it was made and when
Said "I haven't seen one of these since I was a boy"
And his face was twisted into joy

Chorus

Well, we talked a few minutes then the coffee was hot
And I said "Hey, Larry, won't you show me what you've got"
He showed me what he had alright, with conviction and soul
He banged the Barrelhouse Blues, baby he rolled like Jelly Roll

He played songs of love and country..."From Sea to Shining Sea"
And not once, not once did I hear a broken key
A broken old piano and a broken old man
Rolled away smokin' in a broken old van

Chorus

credits

from Ronny Cox Live, released January 1, 2004
Jonathan Byrd

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Ronny Cox Los Angeles, California

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