South Coast Of Texas
Guy Clark

Capo on 2

The south coast of Texas, that’s a thin slice of life
It’s salty and hard, it is stern as a knife
Where the wind is for blowin’ up, hurricanes for showin’
Snakes how to swim and trees how to lean

CHORUS:
And the shrimpers and their ladies are out in the beer joints
Drinkin’ ‘em down for they sail with the dawn
They’re bound for the Mexican bay of Campeche
And the deck hands are singin’ ”Adios, Jole Blon”

There’s snow birds in search of that sunshine and nightlife
Fond of greasin’ palms down the beach as they’re goin’
Ah, this livin’ on the edge of the waters of the world
demands

The dignity of whoopin’ cranes and the likes of Gilbert
Roland

(Chorus)

In the cars of my youth, how I tore through those sand dunes
And cut up my tires on them oyster shell roads
But, nothin’ lasts forever say the old men in the shipyards
Turnin’ trees into shrimp boats; hell, I guess they oughta
know

(Chorus)

(Verse)
The Lone Star Hotel Cafe is nothing but a dive,
and Florence Smith showed up there Lord, every day at five
Florence was a waitress
Have I mentioned that before?
Serving beer to strangers and to some she’d seen before

(Verse)
Florence used to ride a little Apaloosa mare
In the barrel race at the rodeo, she had that beehive hair
There’s a picture of her on the wall, as you pay your check
Lord, didn’t she look good back in nineteen fifty six?

(Verse)
I was loving Florence and she was ignoring me
Florence had experience, it was the first time out for me
Lord, I tried to tell her, but the only words I found
Were “Give me greasy enchiladas and a beer to wash it down”

(Verse)
Florence quit the Lone Star Hotel, and never was seen again
And me, I quit west Texas, and I ain’t been back since then
That was years ago, Lord, too many to recall?
But I remember Florence and them pictures on the wall

(Verse)
So here’s to you west Texas, you old rodeo queen
How I miss your beer joints and shuffle board machines
Here’s to you west Texas, how I miss the smell
Of greasy enchiladas, at the old Lone Star Hotel