Picking in Heaven

He was a tall man, a long drink of water.
They say the river otters have a name for him now.
He dove to save a man from drowning;
Now he roves among the clouds.

James Gamble Rogers,
Oh, he could have been an architect.
Instead of drawing up those blueprints,
He had other arts to perfect.

A walking bass and a smooth blues run,
He was a tall-tale teller, strictly homespun.
With a freight whistle blowing on two bent strings,
And a Jimmie Rodgers yodel, he could make it ring.
He caught "The Orange Blossom Special" with Will McLean.
Now he’s Travis picking on the heavenly train.

He was a tall man, a long drink of water.
They say the river otters have a name for him now.
He dove to save a man from drowning;
Now he roves among the clouds.

A walking bass and a smooth blues run,
He was a tall-tale teller, strictly homespun.
With a freight whistle blowing on two bent strings,
And a Jimmie Rodgers yodel, he could make it ring.
Leave your other singers' songbooks home on the shelf,
‘Cause our Orange Blossom Special is Gamble himself.

He was a tall man, a long drink of water.
They say the river otters have a name for him now.
He dove to save a man from drowning;
Now he roves among the clouds.

Daniel V. Gribbin © 2006

© Steady Arm Music.