Golden Guitar

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Another old guy steel player and myself were talking about, of course, getting old. What would we do if this or that happened and we could no longer play......

As I was mulling this through my brain, I remembered a line from an old Bill Anderson song called: Golden Guitar. Something about it being too much for him to bear, not being able to play any longer.

If someone has the lyrics to that song or knows where they might be found, I'd appreciate the lift !! Thanks in advance !!

Regards, Paul

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Paul, there is also a song recorded by Johnny Paycheck with similar sentiments: "Just an old violin...never to be played again".

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

You are exactly right, Gene !! Again I don't have the words for it either but it's in my heart, I can feel it !! The time that Lloyd Green introduced me to JP and told me he was "another steel picker" was a goose bump time for me. I have always liked his views of life and it always seemed to me that that was the way he lived it too. Words and Music and Life by Paycheck. It don't get no better than that !!

Regards, Paul

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

below are the lyrics from anderson's version found elsewhere. i cannot vouch for them.

it isn't an anderson song.

it was written and first recorded by the late/great curtis leach--you might remember him from the early 60s when he did a fine truck drivin' tune called "highway man": ("where's your redge-stur-ation, who owns that machine, he wrote me up a ticket longer than a witch's dream")

i believe curtis' wife murdered him circa 1965--i have the leach version of the song, and it may well vary a bit from anderson's take.

I happened to walk into a honky tonk one night down in New Orleans
Up above the bar hung a big guitar like none I'd ever seen
The neck was set with diamonds and though the strings were old
Like Kings of Sound they wound around six keys of solid gold
A man stepped up beside me his breath was strong with wine
He said you know that guitar once belonged to a mighty close pal of mine
He used to play it right here I forget the year around '45 I think
Ha I could tell you quite a story friend if you'd care to buy me a drink
[ ac.guitar ]
Well I possessed by every weakness that takes a man a fool
I bought a round he drank it down and then he rocked back on his stool
He said yeah I remember now it was '45 alright
He just returned from the Great War that's where he lost his sight
His buddies gave him that guitar at the time it was simple and plain
He added the gold and the diamonds as he played his way to fame
He was doing a show in Shreveport the night he received a call
To come appear on the Grand Ole Opry the greatest show at all
[ ac.guitar ]
I was driving him to Nashville it was cold and misting rain
The signals flashed and the whistle screamed I swear Mister I never saw that train
I heard the doctor tell him just after he used his knife
You're lucky son it was just your arm it could have been your life
But he died that night life just demanded more than he could give
I think he couldn've made it he just lost his will to live
But this world's loss is heaven's gain and tonight he's still a star
He plays with a band of angels that's my son's golden guitar

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Mitch; First, thank you for the lyrics. They are as I remember them and still very moving. Gene and I both spent a lot of time overseas and from 1960 to 1967, I was in England and Germany. That is where I began to play steel guitar in public and later, pedal steel guitar. It was a once in a lifetime experience but I am now learning that I missed a lot. This song and your story about the original singer were also lost to me but I appreciate folks like you who are now bringing me up to date again. My thanks and.......

Best Regards, Paul

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Now That's a song!!!

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