I remember the year
That clayton delaney died
They said for the last two weeks
That he suffered and cried
It made a big impression on me
Although i was a barefoot kid
They said he got religion at the end
And i'm glad that he didClayton was the best guitar picker
In our town
I thought he was a hero
And i used to follow clayton around
I often wondered why clayton
Who seemed so good to me
Never took his guitar
And made it down in tenn-o-see
Well daddy said he drank a lot
But i could never understand
I knew he used to pick up in ohio
With a five piece band
Clayton used to tell me son
You'd better put that ol' guitar away
There ain't no money in it
It will lead you to an early graveI guess if i'd admit it
Clayton taught me how to drink booze
I can see him half stoned
A-pickin' out the lovesick blues
When clayton died i made him a promise
I was going to carry on some how
I'd give a hundred dollars
If he could only see me now
I remember the year
That clayton delaney died
Nobody ever knew it
But i went out in the woods and i cried
While i know there's a lot of big preachers
That know a lot more than i do
It could be that the good lord
Likes a little pickin' tooYeah i remember the year
That clayton delaney died
