David Allan Coe - San Francisco Mabel Joy Lyrics






My daddy was an honest man, just a redneck Georgia farm boy
My momma spent her short life, raisin' kids and bailin' hay
And I was just fifteen when I ached inside to wonder
So I hoped a freight in Waycross and I rode it to L.A.

Well, I met a girl known on the strip as San Francisco's Maybel Joy
Destitutions child, born on a L.A. street called Shane
And sleep came and left this little Waycross Georgia country boy
Maybel Joy was gone, Lord, I'd never see her again

Growin' up came quietly in the arms of Maybel Joy
Laughter found our morning's, brought new meaning to my life
I woke up one day, Lord to find that I was by myself
With dreams of Georgia cotton and California wine

Sunday mornin' found me standin' 'neath the red-light of her door
Right 'cross sent me reelin', laid me face down on the floor
In place of Maybel Joy I found a merchant mad marine
Who said, "Your Georgia neck is red but son you're still green"

Well, I turned twenty one in gray rock federal prison
The judge, he had no mercy on this Waycross, Georgia boy
Sometimes at night in silence, Lord, I'd listen
That same old freight to take me back to Maybel Joy

Cold nights had no pity on this Waycross, Georgia farm boy
Springtime turned to summer and then the winter came
Starin' at those four gray walls in silence, Lord, I'd listen
Somewhere in the distance to the whistle of the train

Sunday morning found me lying 'neath the red light of her door
With a bullet in my side I cried, "Have you seen Maybel Joy?"
Stunned and shaken someone said, "Son, she don't live here no more"
She left this town ten years ago, I heard she's looking for
Some Georgia farm boy"





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David Allan Coe San Francisco Mabel Joy Comments
  1. M.... D....

    Great Vocals , Totally authentic.perfect instrumentals..I would have preferred less back up singers ..But it's top shelf CW

  2. L.... P....

    I bought this album in the mid seventies and wore it out, bought another when I married my beautiful wife and we wore out 2 more !

  3. D.... C....

    Im competing with this guy to never need a fucking shirt

  4. T.... ....

    Too many lyrics have been changed in this version... not to mention that it is performed ( misinterpreted ) in first person, which sort of takes the 'ballad' quality away from the heartfelt, creative genius that Mickey Newbury imbued into this tragic masterpiece!
    David Allan Coe's version is definitely not the worst....but certainly not the best, by far!

  5. M.... W....

    Only thing Gay about this song is the fact you came and listened TumanovMichael

  6. E.... ....

    If this dosent put a tear in your eye your not a human

  7. S.... W....

    She left a whoring and went to Grorgia a looking for what she had lost!

  8. S.... W....

    One of if not the most beautiful love songs ever sang or written!! Thank you for posting

  9. a.... k....

    some thing about mickey newbury songs bring out the very best of dacoe.

  10. J.... B....

    I think this is the best verison