Johnny Was

He was a big man whose face had never seen a razor Would offer to help but would never ask for a favor Thought crazy by some and respected by others That’s the kind of man Johnny was He worked his old farm and kept to himself He had whisky on his table and a Bible on his shelf They said he killed a man once for kicking a dog That’s the kind of man Johnny was She came from back east, she wasn’t pretty but refined Her daddy owned everything because he owned the mine She was shy and lonely and hoping to find a man But not the kind of man Johnny was He saw her one day, she had gone out for a ride Johnny said to himself, “There goes my bride” Then he laughed at his reflection in a muddy watering trough ‘Cause dreaming wasn’t something Johnny was Well she broke a wheel on a lonely mountain grade And Johnny happened by with an old mule and a chain He never tipped his hat or tried to hold her hand That’s the kind of man Johnny was He fixed the wheel and pointed down the road Said, “Town’s about five miles if you take it slow” She asked him for his name and he looked down at the dust That’s the kind of man Johnny was She kept finding reasons just to pass his way A question about horses, then a fence that wouldn’t stay Johnny knew what she was doing but he played the fool That’s the kind of man Johnny was Then one cold winter evening by the firelight’s glow She said, “Johnny, there’s something I think you ought to know I don’t care about the mine and I don’t care about the money I just want the kind of man Johnny was” The preacher came on Sunday and the whole town showed Even old men who swore they’d never leave home When she took his hand, some folks cried because They never thought they’d see it, but Johnny was in love Now there’s crosses in the churchyard and weeds around the mine The rich men lost their fortunes and time took its time But if you ask the old folks who knew them when they was young They’ll smile and say, “He was a big man whose face had never seen a razor Would offer to help but would never ask for a favor Thought crazy by some and respected by others That’s the kind of man Johnny was.”