Concerning the great speckled bird

And to know that my name is recorded

On the pages of God’s Holy Word

Desiring to lower her standard

They watch every move that she makes

They long to find fault with her teachings

But really she makes no mistake

I am glad I have learned of her meekness

I am glad that my name is on her book

For I want to be one never fearing

The face of my Savior to look

And when He cometh descending from heaven

On a cloud like He said in His Word

I’ll be joyfully carried to meet Him

On the wings of the great speckled bird

-J.Cash-
Recorded 7/24/58 Nashville, TN
Songs of Our Soil (1959)

KEY: C# / CAPO: 1 / PLAY: C

INTRO:
(Drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me)

VERSE:
A rose a carnation a lillie and an orchid
Make such a pretty bouquet (Drink to me, drink to me)
But only the orchid was worthy of you
So I threw all the others away (Drink to me, drink to me)

Then you took the orchid and you breathed on its pedals
And after a day or two
The flowers still bloom but the scent’s not the orchids
It carries the savor or you

(Drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me)

VERSE:
So if you’re gonna drink to me drink with your eyes
And I’ll never cry for wine (Drink to me, drink to me)
Or leave a kiss in an empty coffee cup
Then pass if from your lips to mine (Drink to me, drink to me)

Cause I’ve got a thrist burning way down in my soul
And honey from a sugar tree
Is not have as sweet as the air that you breathe
Honey come here and drink to me

(Drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me, drink to me)

/ single strum
music stop

Key: Bb / Capo: 1st / Play: A

A/ A/ A/ A/
Will we get cold and hungry will times be very bad
[A/]When we’re needin’ [A/]bread and meat [B7/]where we gonna get it [E/]Dad
We’ll [A/]get it from the [G/]man in the [D/]house on the [F/]hill
Yes we will from the man on the hill

VERSE:
Plowin’ time is over still the fields are bare
A B7/ E/
How we gonna make a livin’ with twenty acres to share
I’ll [A/]beg for more [G/]land from the [D/]man on the [F/]hill
Yes I will I’ll ask the man on the hill

VERSE:
I ain’t got no Sunday shoes that I can wear to town
Papa reckon the boss has got a pair of hand-me-downs
I’ll go and ask the man in the house on the hill
Yes I will I’ll ask the man on the hill

VERSE:
Maybe he will help us maybe we’ll get by
But who’s gonna pay the dyin’ bills if we all should die
We’ll leave it to the man in the sky when we die
Yes we’ll leave it to the man in the sky