I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew

(Tom T. Hall)



"I recorded (it) for my first record. It was a good song that I had written

for Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, but they had turned it down. It was

inspired by an old folk medicine tale: if you wash your face in the morning

dew, it will help remove blemishes from your skin. I changed it around to

mean that the morning dew would purify your soul...(The record) did not

make me a big star, although it did get into the top thirty country songs

and made a little BMI money, in addition to selling enough records to

encourage Mercury to make more. And it motivated me to have my teeth

capped..."



The first strange town I was ever in

The county was hanging a man

Nobody cared if he lived or died

And I just didn't understand.



So I washed my face in the morning dew

Bathed my soul in the sun

Washed my face in the morning dew

And kept on moving along.



The second strange town I was in

They were laughing at a poor crippled man

Begging for nickels and dimes on the street

And I just didn't understand.



So I washed my face in the morning dew

Bathed my soul in the sun

Washed my face in the morning dew

And kept on moving along.



--- Instrumental ---



The third strange town that I was in

Was settled peaceful and nice

The rich got richer and the poor got poorer

And to me it didn't seem right.



So I washed my face in the morning dew

Bathed my soul in the sun

Washed my face in the morning dew

And kept on moving along.



Someday times are bound to change

It can't be very far

And each injustice I have seen

Will come before the bar.



Then I'll wash my face in the morning dew

Bathe my soul in the sun

Wash my face in the morning dew

And my journey will be done...