Forest Wayne Allen: Listen
Black Shirts
I was listening to "Who's gonna' fill their shoes" by George Jones when taking a jog in Blacksburg, Virginia. It was the day Johnny Cash would die. I cried when he mentioned "The man in black, the Foltsom prison blues". He also spoke of the Red Headed Stranger, of Elvis, of others alive and dead that paved that way for me and other boys and girls that will take that road, even if they dont wanna'. Who's gonna' fill their shoes? All the people of the Grand Ole' Opry? Who's gonna' take their place on those everlasting stages? I really didn't copyright this song. It's all about Johnny Cash and how his life was a total inspiration to me, but how I truthfully didn't learn to love his music until my recent years. I danced to it, hummed to it, even sang to it. Now I can see what all the fuss is about. Black shirts. They have changed my life. They changed his. He really could have done it in white.
I was sober and a loner, well I don't know which is worse >< I was sad, I was seldombad before I wore black shirts >< I was colder, much older, and I don't know which is worse >< I got wild, drove most of my miles when I found my shirt >< Well I loved his music, and I loved his name >< But in my time of youth, his songs weren't ripening my veins >< And you know they got better every time it rained >< I hope I'm destined for the same >< You know it takes more courage to ride than to rob a train >< Well I wore his shirts, bragged about lost highway >< But I won't cover his songs tonight, you know I'm not that good today >< So I hope this one is good enough, I hope its not cliche >< It'ts the only song I won't copyright because you shouldn't make money off another man's name >< More shows than a year than days >< More lights broken on a crooked stage >< More chills than a bed of clay >< More work than offered pay >< What a witness for a Saving Grace >< What an inspiration for a green horn case >< What a man, what a hero's case, let's put it on money, and give me a raise