Hall, Tom T. - The Year That Clayton Delaney Died Lyrics

My father turned me on to this song and Tom T Hall, I in turn introduced him to Curtis Loew xxoo

This is a great song on a great album that I have had for a long time. Tom T Hall is a Kentucky legend, to be sure!

one of country greats

I'm the son of Clayton Delaney ------

One of my all time favorite songs

Glad you like it Mikey. It's nice to hear from someone with the same name.   :)   Mikey Thompson

Not to be too dramatic, but I had a friend that named his son Clayton Delaney because he was so taken by this song.. Fact.
About 1974 or so.

Well, at least he didn't name him Sue.  LOL!! Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

G3org3 j9nrasjjjjjjjjones George JJ
George jones

Great Song. I have always liked this. Smokey Binion, Jr.

Thanks for stoppin' by Smokey.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Your welcome. Happy Thanksgiving. Smokey Binion, Jr.

Dam great man .. only sang about his life .. and from Connersville Indiana.  he sung the true life.

Thanks for stoppin' by Randall.   :)    Mikey Thompson

The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
~ Tom T. Hall

Well I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
They said for the last two weeks that he suffered and cried

It made a big impression on me although I was a barefoot kid
They said he got religion at the end and I'm glad that he did

Clayton was the best guitar picker in our town
I thought he was a hero and I used to follow Clayton around

I often wondered why Clayton who seemed so good to me
Never took his guitar and made it down in Tennessee

Daddy said he drank a lot but I could never understand
I knew he used to picked up in Ohio with a five piece band

Clayton used to tell me son you better put that old guitar away
There ain't no money in it it'll lead you to an early gray

I guess if I'd admit it Clayton taught me how to drink booze
I can see him half stoned pickin` up the Lovesick Blues

When Clayton died I made him a promise I was gonna carry on somehow
I'd give a hundred dollars if he could only see me now

I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died
Nobody ever knew it but I went out in the woods and I cried

Well I know there's a lotta big preachers that know a lot more than I do
But it could be that the good Lord likes a little picking too

Yeah I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died

Songwriters: Tom T. Hall
The Year That Clayton Delaney Died lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc

On of my favorites !

Thanks for stoppin' by Roger.   :)

Mikey Thompson

my parents had a lot of records from the 50s that I grew up listening to. I liked Doo-Wop Elvis & Country & Western. When I got a transistor radio for my 10th birthday this was the 1st song I heard it has stuck with me all these years as a favorite

Thanks for stoppin' by Wayne   :)   
Mikey  Thompson

This song touches me in ways I can't explain... and even if I could... even the people I love and trust probably wouldnt get it... but my ol man would.. god rest his soul..

Thanks for stoppin' By Robert.   :)    Mikey

Love this song.

Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

,thank you Tom t. Hall...........

Aaaa, MIik,, any time,,YOU GOT GREAT TASTE,,thank you,,

CLAYTON IS FOR ANYONE WHO LOOKS UP TO SOMEONE... THAT IS SOMEONE WHO IS POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE IN SOCIETY...
BUT THESE DAYS WE HAVE MANY FAKE HEROES..... SAD.

I just can think back,,WOW WHAT TIMES,,AND IM NOT OLD

Thanks for stoppin' by Lewis.  :)   
Mikey Thompson

@uronthehill I need to say had good times to the songs you have,,Hope to have more.

I still have this album, yes it is an original vinyl and I don't mean a vinyl remake. I have surely enjoyed it all through the years. Taught my young son about GOOD music as I was a committed mama and felt it my responsibility to guide a child in the right way. Tom T sure wrote a lot of GOOD songs. My son still loves country music and I mean the REAL country.

Thanks  for stoppin' by.   :)    
Mikey Thompson

AT 82 just thot= what if Tom T. & The Statlers did a "story" song?? This is one!!! Sorry too late now...I still play them all!!!

Thanks  for stoppin' by.   :)    
Mikey Thompson

Delaney reminds me of my dad, sad.

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Mikey Thompson

I remember the year --- that this song came out...

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Mikey Thompson

I have pissed facebook off

What a great story teller

Thanks for stoppin' by Brian   :)   
Mikey

how come matey (on the record sleeve) is all dressed up fer a bit of fishing....a wonderful tune indeed.

Pee Wee from Olive Hill KY

You can take the boy out of the country but you can never take the contry out of the old man...thats what i feel.....

yay ....and i still got a can of Tetleys in the fridge...many thanks fer upload .xx

Awesome song thanks Mikey.

Your welcome urothehill enjoyed this song.Thanks for that.

tom was a hell of a storyteller.

Great singer

Thanks for stoppin' by Leonna.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Love my hometown Morehead,KY.

I'm from Arkansas, but I've always called Ky my Fatherland. My Dad was born there. Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

I always listen to Ballad of Curtis Loew after this

I've got a YT playlist called "Country Paradise". Hadn't listened to the first 30 seconds, this song was alreday added up to it.

Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Need more music like this on the radio. Music with feeling and truth to life. God Bless Tom T. Hall

Thanks for stoppin' by.  :)   
Mikey Thompson

I love classic country and this is it . Great song and singer ........and writer .

Always have to listen to Curtis Lowe after hearing this....

Anybody got Lyrics?

Get them on Google. Thanks for stopp[n' by William.  :)   
Mikey Thompson

I remember my friend he was one we liked the same music he told me lots of good stories I just wish he was still alive. I have some stories to tell him too just wish he would have survived that illness. Guess the lord wanted to here his stories too. The good lord must have overheard his stories he told me saw me laughing and understanding to his stories and the good lord wanted a good laugh too.

Thanks for stopp[n' by.  :)   
Mikey Thompson

@uronthehill you're welcome

Love this song and Tom T.

AWESOME!!! Tom T the great storyteller!

Thanks for stoppin' by Hank.   :)    Mikey Thompson

My dad played this album on record and this is what I grew up listening to as a young boy in the early 70's. STILL LOVE THIS. LOVE YOU DADDY!!!!!

Thanks for stoppin' by Mike.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

The good ol days are gone. Dammit!!!!!

Thanks for stoppin' by Ronald.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

Happy early Birthday Daddy, I love and miss you!

Normally i dont care for lyrics, but these really touch me

Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

You don’t have to live in the country to love country. Country is as much in your heart as it is in a locality, IMHO. Them’s my two cents but they’re MINE. Thanks for this.

Thanks for stoppin' by.  :)    Mikey Thompson

A great song from one of my favorites. Tom T. Hall's stories captured so much. He's the man for all sides, he's the Man whose music crosses every political boundary. Mr. Hall should run for president. Or someone like him!

Thanks for stoppin' by.    :)

this is in memory of my dad,paddy whos anniversary is tomorrow 9 april, he was in the tom t hall fan club in the states.r.i.p.

Thanks for stoppin' by John.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

more KENTUCKY greatness!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for stoppin' by Scott.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Love this song! Only 16 listening to some awesome oldies 😎 love it!!

Thanks for stoppin' by Iina.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Is that Tom T. at 0:32?

No, that's not Tom T.... Just an old pic I used.   Thanks for stoppin' by Gary.    :)   
Mikey Thompson

OK, thanks. I shook hands with Mr. Hall in 1985 when he played a fair near my town. Helluva nice guy, he.

first time haerin this song my mom name me after this song and my dad always sing this to all the time. he pasted a month ago .I will miss him

Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

These when country meant something..... No music's sucks

Thanks for stoppin' by Kristal.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

man this song....so damn good. years later, lynyrd skynyrd did The Ballad of Curtis Loew....similar kind of song and also very good

Thanks for stoppin' by Jason.   :)  
Mikey Thompson

@uronthehill I grew up on all this great old music, real music that told stories that you feel deep inside. Reuben James by Kenny Rogers is another good one in the same vein as this. Thanks for sharing!

He suffered and cried, he got religion and I am glad, he did .

Was the year 1944 or was it 1945? Lonnie Easterling and Tom t hall was just two of the great pickers from olive hill! Don jones was the Lonnie Easterling of my time he was a Appalachian blues man that left us to early! He would have been in Tom t’s footsteps! Rip pony boy!

Thanks for stoppin' by Gail.   :)  
Mikey Thompson

Great stories

Thanks for stoppin' by Les.   :)  
Mikey Thompson

Great song ! ~ ! Have loved it all these years......

Just found this message, it was hid.  Thanks for stoppin' by Gary.    :)    
Mikey Thompson

I’m positive the good Lord likes a little Picken

I bet you're right Mike.  :) Thanks for stoppin' by.    Mikey Thompson

Just found this message, it was hid. Thanks for stoppin' by Mike.    :)     Mikey Thompson

fireplace songs......bring them back

Thanks for stoppin' by Jay.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

Love that song

Thanks for stoppin' by Bryan.   :)    Mikey Thompson

Anybody, besides me, who thinks maybe this song had some influence on The Ballad of Curtis Lowe by Skynyrd? Anyway, a great song!

Could have?  Thanks for stoppin' by David.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

Yup.
And Women I've Never Had by Hank Williams, Jr.

Was Clayton kin to Curtis Lowe?!

Dam i love this old song

Thanks for stoppin' by Marilyn.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

My father woke us up every am singing this playing his getfiddle...from about 5yo to 14yo

Thanks for stoppin' by.  :)  
Mikey Thompson

I wonder if he lived in floyed county

Tom T. said in a interview that Clayton Delaney was a fictitious name.... Thanks for stoppin' by Eli.  :)   Mikey Thompson

This is all I listen to love this old country

Same here Tina.... Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)   Mikey Thompson

love that red Tom T

Yeah, it sure looks 1970's.... Thanks for stoppin' by James.   :)    Mikey Thompson

true country song...words come freely from the soul with awesome musical backup!

Thanks for stoppin' by Rick.  :)   Mikey Thompson

try singing to "modern music" very few lyrics repeated over and over and head banging guitars, these songs will last forever because anybody can sing and dance to this.

I agree... The music they play these days sucks crap from the deepest sewer!  Thanks for stoppin' by.    :)    Mikey Thompson

My childhood friend would play this ole country memories 💕💕💜💚💛❤

Thanks for stoppin' by Wilma.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

But it could be that
The Good Lord likes a little pickin' too.

I sure hope so John, because I plan on takin' my old guitar with me. :)   Thanks for stoppin' by.  :)   Mikey Thompson

Love the dobro

It is either Pete Drake or Tom's producer Jerry Kennedy playing Dobro on this cut. They both played Dobro on this album session. Thanks for stoppin' by Ol Man.  :)   Mikey Thompson

I hardly relate to this song, but I do understand the feeling of looking up to someone as a boy, and wishing you could give a hundred dollars for him, my role model, to see me now. I believe in god and heaven; I just wish I could see him, see me in person. I want one last conversation that old man. Life sucks. I hate being sad.

Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)  

Mikey Thompson

Thinkyouknowmusic on Twitter brought me here.

my name is clayton delaney

Then you faked your death?  LOL!!  Thanks for stoppin' by.   :)     Mikey Thompson

@uronthehill sunday morning coming down

Good ole Tom T. Hall Good song

Thanks for stoppin' by Camron.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Always loved Tom's music - grew up listening to him

Thanks for stoppin' by Debbie.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

What a song writer.

Thanks for stoppin' by Wayne.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

Soul music.

Thanks for stoppin' by Pierre.    :)   
Mikey Thompson

Only one chorus?

Thanks for stoppin' by Grant.   :) 
Mikey Thompson

I can't get enough of this song!

Thanks for stoppin' by Shirley.   :) 
Mikey Thompson

My dad loved this song.

Thanks for stoppin' by Josh.   :) 
Mikey Thompson

once again I say it, why don't recording companies get it ?this is country music ,not the crapp they dish up to us today,it's no wonder they didn't like the George and Alan song murder on music row, it's the truth and nobody likes the truth

I agree...Thanks for stoppin' by Michael.   :)    Mikey Thompson

Originally this song was supposed to be called The day I watched Clayton Delaney die. It told the story of Tom T Hall driving along a road and seeing a black man fishing. Tom got out of the car and said, "what's your name boy?" The man said," Clayton Delaney sir." Tom T Hall said, "you know we don't like your kind fishing around here. I think it's time you go sleeping with the fishes if you know what I mean." He hit him over the head and stole the man's bucket of fish, then later wrote this song. The record company demanded that he changed the lyrics as not to incriminate himself, but they did keep the photo that Tom had taken before the murder and put it on the album cover.

I always heard that the Cadillac in the picture belonged to the black guy and that Tom T. stole it. :) Thanks for stoppin' by.    Mikey Thompson

WHAT???

That is a ridiculously idiotic pile of nonsense

I only knew this song from those tv commercials that played the first 20 seconds of the song...but now I've heard the whole thing :)

Thanks for stoppin' by Aaron.   :)    
Mikey Thompson

named after this song !

Are you a picker? ... Thanks for stoppin' by Delaney.   :)    
Mikey Thompson

uronthehill yes! And was raised by some damn good pickers as well :)

Same here Delaney.... I live in Arkansas now, but have strong Kentucky ties.  :)    Mikey Thompson

In every one of Tom T Hall's songs, I knew a character  in my life similar to in the song.I sure can relate to his songs.

Thanks for stoppin' by Douglas.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

I miss country music.

Thanks for stoppin' by Vaughn.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

"I know there's alot of big preachers that know alot more than i do, but it could be that the Good Lord likes a little pickin too."
Might be some of the best lyrics to ever be created

Thanks for stoppin' by Joseph.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

One of Tom's best . Thanks for posting.

Thanks for stoppin' by Neil.   :)   
Mikey Thompson

...it could be that the good Lord likes a little pickin' too.

Thanks for stoppin' by Jeff,  :)    Mikey Thompson

When Dad used to play this is the 80,s , I always pictured Clayton from Benson Tv show, now listening to it I understand it,

Thanks for stoppin' by John.   :)    Mikey Thompson

good drinkin tune yo

Thanks for stoppin' by John.   :)   Mikey Thompson

luv this still

Thanks for stoppin' by Tony.  :)    Mikey Thompson

(The storyteller). A legend and a fixture of TRUE country music

Thanks for stoppin' by Jason.  :)    Mikey Thompson

Just 32yrs old and I can appreciate what this country singer gave to us and can never thank him for the tunes and the great memories while listening to it!. Love the classics!!

Thanks for stoppin' by Mickee.   :)    Mikey Thompson

uronthehill Sorry for being late but.. If I may be so bold as to ask you if there's any relation to this fine musican that you have like grandfather or father??.

Mickee, there is no relation, however, my Grandfather and Father were musicians and were from Kentucky as am I. Thanks for the reply.  :)   Mikey Thompson

This is true country music

Thanks for stoppin' by Anthony.  :)    Mikey Thompson

play it for me tom, absolutely perfect

Thanks for stoppin' by Lindsay.  :)     Mikey Thompson