Twofer Children

This is a song I would like to share with you. It was written and performed by Tom T. Hall

in 1972; you can hear it here and read the words below.  I don't agree at all with the part about women thinking only about themselves. And I don't believe I have ever tasted watermelon wine, although I certainly would have, had the good people at Boone's Farm produced it 40 years ago.  And come to think of it, my friends are not the kind of friends who vanish when I need friends. And I've never owned a dog, old or otherwise.

I guess he might as well have called the song "Children," but Joe South

Born Joseph Alfred Souter

already wrote that.

 

Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine

"How old do you think I am," he said?
I said, well, I didn't know.
He said, "I turned 65 about 11 months ago."

I was sittin' in Miami, pouring blended whiskey down
When this old gray, black gentleman was cleaning up the lounge.
There wasn't anyone around, except this old man and me.
The guy who ran the bar was watching "Ironsides" on TV.

Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine," he asked.
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back.
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine."
He said, "Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around.
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down."
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime,
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes.
God bless little children while they're still too young to hate."
When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line
About old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day.
As I left for my room I saw him picking up my change.
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime,
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine.