Phil Ochs — Ballad of Billie Sol

[Verse 1] Billie Sol was a man from the giant Texas land He put the Chamber of Commerce on a limb They voted him the best and the government did no less 'Til the I.O.U.'s of Texas fell on him [Chorus] Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all We've taken down your pictures from the wall Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal We have got to face elections in the fall [Verse 2] Oh, I remember when Bill had influential friends He celebrated Christmas every day He filled several Texas banks with his fertilizer tanks Influential friends don't die they only fade away [Chorus] Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all We've taken down your pictures from the wall Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal We have got to face elections in the fall [Verse 3] The Democrats deny and Orville Freeman sighs He said "Everyone around was fair and square" But he was no more convincin' than Ezra Taft Benson As resignations cropped up everywhere [Chorus] Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all We've taken down your pictures from the wall Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal We have got to face elections in the fall [Verse 4] And now I'd like to say that crime sure doesn't pay But if you want to make some money on the sly Well, you can always rent the U.S. government It's the best one that money can buy [Chorus] Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all We've taken down your pictures from the wall Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal We have got to face elections in the fall