Track 4 — Bless Your Heart (The Gainesville Way)

[Spoken Intro — North Georgia Accent, Playful Guitar Picking] Well, I’ll tell y’all something… Growing up in Gainesville, Georgia, we had a language all our own. Them little old ladies at church could smile at you just as sweet as peach pie… And say, “Well, bless your heart!” Now, depending on how they said it… That might mean they loved you. Or it might mean… KISS MY GRITS! [Laughing] What da!? [Verse 1 — Upbeat Country Swing] Back in Gainesville, Georgia, when I was just a boy, Them little old church ladies were a special kind of joy. They’d smile and nod so sweetly, with a twinkle in their eye, And say, “Well, bless your little heart,” As you went walking by. But there was something in that saying, That took some years to learn, Sometimes it meant they loved you, Sometimes you were getting burned! They didn’t have to cuss you, Didn’t have to raise their voice, Just three little words from a Georgia woman, And buddy, you had no choice! [Chorus — Catchy, Funny, Country Swing] Bless your heart! Well, ain’t that sweet? A little Southern sugar With a little hidden heat! Bless your heart! Now don’t you start! She might be saying “Love you,” Or “Get on out of here, sweetheart!” Oh, down in North Georgia, We knew that special art, Of telling somebody “Kiss my grits!” By saying “Bless your heart!” [Verse 2 — Funny, Bouncy Honky-Tonk] Now Mama Lucy took us to church, Whether we liked it or not. And when we got inside that building, I knew just what I got. ’Cause my mama sat beside me, And if I started acting wild, She had a way of getting through To one distracted child. She’d reach right down and pinch my leg, And Lord, that thing would sting! I didn’t dare to holler out, Or hardly do a thing! I’d sit up straight and face the front, And try to play my part, While somebody across the aisle said, “Well, bless that young man’s heart!” [Chorus — Full Band] Bless your heart! Well, ain’t that sweet? A little Southern sugar With a little hidden heat! Bless your heart! Now don’t you start! You’d better learn the difference When a Georgia woman speaks her heart! Oh, down in North Georgia, We knew that special art, Of telling somebody “Kiss my grits!” By saying “Bless your heart!” [Verse 3 — Playful Acoustic Guitar and Fiddle] Now you could hear it from your grandma, Or a girl across the way, Or somebody at the church house With a whole lot more to say. “Well, bless your heart, you poor old thing!” Might mean she really cared. But “Bless your heart,” with that certain look, Meant you’d better be prepared! It wasn’t in no dictionary, Wasn’t taught to us in school, But every kid in Gainesville Learned that unwritten Southern rule. You had to listen to the tone, And watch that little grin, ’Cause what came out as kindness Might have something else tucked in! [Instrumental Break — Jump Blues Piano, Fiddle, C Harmonica] [Bridge — Slower, Warm and Nostalgic] Those old church pews, those Sunday clothes, Those voices from back then, Funny how a little phrase Can take you home again. I can hear those Georgia women, See those smiles upon their faces, And remember all the people And those old familiar places. Some of them meant kindness, Some meant “Leave me alone,” But every time I hear those words, My mind goes rolling home. [Final Chorus — Big, Playful, Singalong] Bless your heart! Well, ain’t that sweet? Southern hospitality With a little extra heat! Bless your heart! Now ain’t we smart? We could tell you where to go Without ever saying that part! From Watson Drive to Gainesville, Those memories never part, And I still laugh when somebody says, “Well, bless your little heart!” [Spoken Outro — Guitar Picking, Chuckling] You know… After all these years, I still remember sitting in church with my mama. And when she reached over toward my leg… Buddy, I knew I’d better straighten up! [Laughs] And if some sweet little old lady ever looks at you and says… “Well, bless your heart…” Don’t get too excited. She might not be complimenting you! What da!? [Harmonica Laughing Riff — Playful Guitar Finish]