JIMMY MARTIN'S LIFE STORY
By: Jimmy Martin (BMI)
Tom T. Hall (BMI)
Dixie Hall (BMI)

VERSE 1: IN NINETEEN TWENTY-SEVEN WITH THE HARD TIMES ON THE LAND
HE WAS BORN IN SNEEDVILLE, TENNESSEE
IN HIS HEART THERE WAS A SONG
AND IT DIDN'T TAKE HIM LONG
TO FIGURE WHAT HE WANTED TO BE

VERSE 2: HIS STEPFATHER SAID YOU CAN SING IN THE CHURCH
AND SING AT THE FUNERALS TOO
BUT DON'T SING THE SONGS
OF THE PEOPLE GONE WRONG
AND DON'T SING THE HARD DRINKING BLUES

CHORUS: HIS LIFE STORY AIN'T NO DIFFERENT TO OUR OWN
WE'VE GOT TO LEARN TO BE ALL WE CAN BE
LISTEN UP REAL CLOSE
AND YOU'LL HEAR THE WORDS HE WROTE
(YODEL OR GUITAR RUN)

VERSE 3: HE SOLD HIS POSSUM HIDES FOR A QUARTER OR MORE
TO BUY STRINGS FOR HIS OLD GUITAR
STRINGS COST A DIME
HE BOUGHT ONE AT A TIME
HE HOPED THEY WOULD MAKE HIM A STAR

VERSE 4: GOT A JOB SLINGING PAINT IN THE CITY AWHILE
HE SUNG ALL THE TIME WHILE HE WORKED
THEY FIRED HIM ONE DAY
FOR HIS SINGING THEY'D SAY
THEY NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH IT HURT

REPEAT CHORUS

VERSE 5: SO HE TOOK HIS GUITAR DOWN TO NASHVILLE ONE NIGHT
HE WALKED UP TO MISTER MONROE
HE SAID I'M THE MAN
WHO CAN WORK IN YOUR BAND
HE MATCHED HIM RIGHT THERE NOTE FOR NOTE

VERSE 6: HE STAYED FOR A WHILE THEN WENT OUT ON HIS OWN
THEY SAID JIMMY YOU'LL STARVE TO DEATH
HE SAID WAIT AND SEE
AND THE REST IS HISTORY
HE PROVED HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST

REPEAT CHORUS

VERSE 7: PEOPLE ASK HIM WHY HE'S NOT ON THE OPRY SHOW
AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH IS WHAT HE'D LAUGH AND SAY
BUT THE SONGS THAT HE'S SUNG
AND THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE
IT'S IN THE BOOK, THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY

REPEAT CHORUS