Skid Row Joe

Last night that's who I found, in the dirty part of town
Lost, forgotten with no place to go
Tormented with a bitter taste, outcast by the human race
mask of torture was the face of Skid Row Joe

He walked up to where I stood on the street
Said, "Pardon me Mister, now don't get me wrong
I don't want your money though heaven knows I could use it"

"But you see this is my home and you see
The other bar down the street there, well that's my home, too
I noticed you starin' at me a while ago
You recognized me, didn't you?"

I said, "Yeah, Joe, I know who you are
You was one time a real famous singin' star, one of my favorites"

He said, "Well, I guess you heard they took my babies away from me"
I said, "Yeah, Joe I, I read about it in the papers"
Then he turned his head away and I saw the tears fall in the place

And he turned to me and he said, "You know Mister
This is the only place in the world that I'm not ashamed
To show my face, but I'm gonna quit, yes sir I'm gonna quit"

"And I'm gonna shave [bad word] my hair and get me a clean white shirt
Then I'm gonna walk up to her door
When she answers I'm gonna stand up real proud and tall
Then I'm gonna get on my knees"

Then I'll say, "Sweetheart, if you'll take me back
I'll spend the rest of my life makin' up to you for what I've done
I'm so ashamed of myself and this I want you to know"

"Then I'm gonna take my two little babies
And I'm gonna hold 'em so close to me
I ain't gonna never let 'em go"

I guess I should've told him then that she'd already remarried again
But after hearin' what he'd said to me
Why there wasn't no way I could add to his misery
So I said, "Good luck, my best to you"

Skid Row Joe

Songwriters
C. PERKINS