LESSONS IN STONE (Longview)
By: Dixie Hall (BMI)
Tom T. Hall (BMI)
Ken Irwin (BMI)

VERSE 1: I STOOD IN A QUIET OLD GRAVEYARD
WHERE LIFETIMES ARE CARVED INTO STONE
TELLING THE TIMES OF THE BIRTHDAYS
AND WHEN WE ARE CALLED TO GO HOME
I READ OF THE BIRTH OF A BANKER
WHO DIED LATER ON THE SAME DAY
AND A STOCKBROKER BORN AT A QUARTER TO THREE
AT SEVEN O'CLOCK PASSED AWAY

VERSE 2: I FOLLOWED THE SOUND OF A HAMMER
TO A MOSS COVERED WORKSHOP OUT BACK
I SAID TO AN AGING STONE MASON
SIR, I HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK
THE LIFETIMES OF ALL THOSE WHO SLEEP HERE
YOU SAY WERE A FEW HOURS LONG
COULD IT BE THAT YOU WERE MISTAKEN
OR AM I JUST READING IT WRONG

CHORUS: A QUIET OLD GRAVEYARD WHERE I WALKED ALONE
WITH LESSONS CARVED INTO STONE

VERSE 3: HE BECKONED ME INTO A CHAPEL
HIS CREAKING OLD BONES LED THE WAY
HE SAT DOWN AND GAZED IN THE DISTANCE
AS HE SEARCHED FOR THE WORDS HE WOULD SAY
HE SAID WHEN THESE PEOPLE WERE CHILDREN
THEY HURRIED TO CLIMB DOWN AND PLAY
THE YEARS PASSED THEM BY IN AN INSTANT
THEY WORKED ALL THEIR GOOD YEARS AWAY

VERSE 4: UNNOTICED THE YEARS CREPT ON BY THEM
AS THEY SEARCHED FOR FORTUNE AND FAME
THE ONLY TIME THEY COULD BE HAPPY
WAS WHEN THEY WERE MAKING A GAIN
SO WE COUNTED THEIR LIVES AS THEY LIVED THEM
WE TOOK OUT THE TROUBLE AND STRIFE
WE COUNTED THE TIMES THEY WERE HAPPY
AND THAT'S ALL THEY GOT OUT OF LIFE

REPEAT CHORUS