Tom: E E I guess I should've written, Dad, to let you know that I was coming home A I've been gone so many years, I didn't realize you had a phone E I saw your cattle coming in, boy they're looking mighty fat and slick A B E I saw Fred at the service station, told me that his wife is awful sick E You heard my record on the radio, oh, well it's just another song A But I've got a hit recorded and it'll be out on the market 'fore too long E I got this ring in Mexico, no, it didn't cost me quite a bunch A B E When you're in the business that I'm in, the people call it puttin' up a front E I know I've lost a little weight, I guess I am looking kind of pale A If you didn't know me better, Dad, you'd think that I'd just gotten out of jail E No, we don't ever call them beer joints, night clubs are the places that I work A B E You meet a lot of people there, but no, there ain't much chance of gettin' hurt F# I'm sorry that I couldn't be there with you all when Momma passed away B I was on the road and when they came and told me it was just too late F# I drove by the grave to see her, boy, that really is a pretty stone B C# F# I'm glad that Fred and Jan are here, it's better than you being here alone F# Well I knew you's gonna ask me who the lady is that's sleeping in the car B That's just a girl who works for me and, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar F# We worked in San Antone last night, she didn't even have the time to dress B C# F# She drove me down from Nashville and to tell the truth I guess she needs the rest F# Well, Dad, I gotta go, we got a dance to work in Cartersville tonight B Let me take your number down, I'll call you, and I promise you I'll write F# Now you be good and don't be chasin' all those pretty women that you know B C# F# And by the way if you see Barbara Walker tell her that I said "Hello."