Ralph McTell — Blues in More Than 12 Bars

Billy ran away from home when he was 17 years of age Folks swore that he'd land in trouble just as near as they could gauge 'Cause he was a reckless kid, and everything he did Was talked about and noticed by the folks that lived around him They swore that Billy was much too wild Ma said, "No, he's just a child There ain't nothing wrong with Billy That life won't tame." Then Billy hit the new town with a few coins in his pocket Thought about his past, but he pretty soon forgot it And he walked into a bar, some fella bought him a drink And he commenced the drinking until he could hardly think Some guy said "Kid, you've had enough It takes a man to drink that stuff!" And Billy swung around and he laid one on him Now the next day in the courthouse, poor Billy felt so ashamed He hung his head down low when the judge called out his name For fighting in a bar, which was a public place He gave Billy a three month sentence, and poor Billy hid his face The judge said "Lock that boy away, give him three months to repay His debt to society for lack of sobriety." Billy then wrote a letter saying, "Mama get me out of here! Time rolls by so slow, each day seems like a year." But his mama never got the letter, 'cause his daddy he read it first And he figured that Billy should serve his time, and that would be the best Now Billy served his time, learning a life of crime And thinking even his mama had let him down Now Billy got bad habits, drinking liquor that he could not take Was in and out of trouble, chasing women that he could not make And he was robbing houses, stealing cars, feeling the blues in more than twelve bars Wasn't long before he was in the courthouse again And this time when they made him free he vowed that he would never be In court or get caught by no one again So when Billy then pulled a job, well he'd up and leave the town And he robbed around the country till he had enough to settle down And Billy used his head, took a wife into his bed And he employed some other guys to do his dirty work instead And Billy played it cool, and his kids did well at school And his life of sobriety was respected by society At the parties at his place, all the rich folks came around Wasn't long before Billy was the mayor of the town Bankers put up the money, and there wasn't any fight And it wasn't too long 'fore Billy had got the town sown up real tight While the money backing him, and the rich friends at his side The next step to state governor was as easy as a fairground ride And Billy then left his home when he was fifty-six years of age To become the President of the United States And if you think that is stretching it a little too far Just think of this as having been a blues in more than twelve bars