July the 12th, 1939

And July the 12th, it sure was a scorcher

Momma she'd fixed some lemonade

Sister Beth was sunnin' in the sunshine

And baby Coy was playin' in the shade

I looked up the road and yonder come a big car

That's something we don't see much around here

Big man said, "Son, where is your pappy?"

"He's over in the cornfield not far from here"

And they started talkin' over by the rail fence

It looked like poppa was a-gettin' mad

They walked to the house and poppa was a-cryin'

And poppa never cried and I knew it was bad

And two weeks later in the Logan County Courthouse

Rainin' cats and dogs outside

It sure was awful the way momma was a-cryin

They say she thought that woman had died

And poppa said, "Judge, we tried to raise us up a good boy

From a little bitty tot"

And Jody never'd go against another womans wishes

And that kind of boy I know he's not

And you know the power of the almighty dollar

Will come out the winner every time

Willie Buchanan done got away with something

And then tried to blame that boy of mine

And July the 12th, it sure was a scorcher

And momma she'd fixed some lemonade

And sister Beth was sunnin' in the sunshine

Baby Coy was playin' in the shade