Three Sofa Story

(Tom T. Hall)



I was sittin' and drinkin' in an old friend's apartment

On the westside of Nashville one night

And in his apaprtment he had these three sofas

He had two too many all right.



I said buddy tell me about these three sofas

And start with that black on there first

He said there's story in each of the sofas

But give me a minute for quenchin' my thirst.



He said now that first one is a good one for sleepin'

I got that one from my first wife

She left me half crazy took all of the babies

And drove off to Houston one night.



Well I did as I pleased and I said what I thought

And it drove her right out of her mind

So many abuses and no damn excuses

I've often been told that I'm one of that kind.



Now that second sofa I got that from a pal

Who was broke and was headed back home

He was ram cut and rusty boozed out and dusty

And I got that thing for a song.



On long winter evenings I'd sit on that sofa

And listened what that fella sing

While I could do without it but there's something about it

That makes me believe the attentions to the thing.



That third one right out there there's a story about it

I got that one from my second wife

A middle aged lady with money to spend

I guess she was the love of my life.



Now I like I never got that damn thing in here

Cause it don't seem to fit any house

It's oblong and shapeless it's ugly and tasteless

But I got it in here and I'll get it out.



I thanked him for tellin' the three sofa story

I yawned and I said my goodnight

And on my way home I considered the safas

And how they were part of his life.



Buddies and sweethearts the winners and losers

Kept conjuring up in my mind

And it's all in the tellin' of the three sofa story

Just one of the places where I've done my time...