Artist/Band:
Dolly Parton
Lyrics for Song: These Old Bones
Lyrics for Album: The Acoustic Collection: 1999-2002 [Sugar Hill] [2006]
(Dolly Parton)
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter, tells you what the future holds.
Oh, she lived up on the mountain, eleven miles or so from town
With a one-eyed cat named Wink, a billy goat and a blue tick hound
Her graying hair was braided And wrapped around her head
And her dress was long and faded and her home a rusty shed.
In a little pouch of burlap tied with a piece of twine
There were bones all shapes and sizes gathered through the course of time
She'd throw them out before you, she swore that she could see
The present, past and future, she could ready your destiny.
Everybody knew about her, came to get their fortune read
Concerning health and wealth and power, who to love and when to wed
Well, I just like helpin' people, I'm just glad that I could help
Why, I know everybody's secrets but I keep it to myself.
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter tells you what the future holds.
Some called her witchy woman, some said she was insane
Some said she was a prophet, still everybody came
Just because a body's different, well, that don't make 'em mad
Well, they've crucified a many for the special gifts they've had.
I had often heard about her, dreamed about her now and then
For I too, was clairvoyant, came about when I was ten
I was fascinated with her and the things I'd heard about
And I knew some day I'd meet her and one day it came about.
Well, I know'd that you's a-comin', I could feel it in my bones
These old bones have also told me that I won't be here for long
Did you know that you's adopted, did you know you once't was mine
But the county took you from me said I wasn't right in mind.
But I just know'd I had to see you 'fore these bones was laid to rest
So I conjured up a message, it must'a worked, I guess
This gift runs in the family, I know you also know
And I passed this gift on to you, these old bones, they're just for show.
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely how to live and when you'll die
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter tells you what the future holds.
I held her hand while she was dyin' and with the funeral through
I headed on back up the mountain for Billy, Wink and Blue
And that little pouch of burlap with those bones so worn and old
She give me somethin' special now every time I throw.
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
And it's all in how they scatter tells you what the future holds.
Ad libs:
Now I can't tell you what you want to hear, I just tell you what I see
It's these old bones a'talkin', blame it on them don't pack it on me
It's just like that time that there boy died up at the sawmill
Well, I know'd who done it, but I never said
And I know'd when somebody is a cheatin'
Or when somebody's baby was gonna be born dead.
But unless somebody just plain out and asked me
Well, I just figured there ain't no point goin' around
Actin' like you know everything just 'cause you might, ha ha ha
Ah, you know girl I want you to take these bones
'Cause I don't want no young'un of mine a-going around unprepared
You just remember that the magic is inside you
There ain't no crystal ball...
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