Paycheck, Johnny - The Outlaw's Prayer Lyrics






You know, I worked the Big Packet show in Fort Worth, Saturday night
We had all day Sunday to rest and relax, before I caught another flight
So I decided to walk down town an' get myself a little fresh air
Before long, I found myself in front of a big church on the corner of the square

Boy, I could hear that singin' way out in the street, sure was a beautiful sound
So I just walked up the steps an' opened the door an' started to go inside an' sit down
But before I could, a young man walked over to me an said: Excuse me, Sir
But I can't let you in with that big black hat, those jeans, that beard an' long hair

So I just left, went back outside, sat down on that kerbing, an I thought to myself
That's the house of the Lord. That guy's got the hell of a nerve
Tellin' me I can't worship anywhere I please
So right there, in front of that Church, I just knelt down on my knees

I said: Lord, I know I don't look like much, but I didn't think you'd mind
I just wanted to be with your people, Lord: it's been a long time
A while ago, a saw a wino over there in the alley, all bent over in tears
An' I thought how one stained glass window, from this Church, would feed his family for years

Then there's those fine cars parked outside: too many for me to count
Made me think how people walked for days to hear your sermon on the mount
Then there's those fine ladies in the choir, Lord, singin' like they really love it
Hell, last night, they were dancin' on the front row of my show: drinkin' beer, screamin: 'Sing Shove It'

You know, even John the Baptist wouldn't be welcome in this place
With his coat made of Camel hair an' sandals on his feet an' a long beard on his face
You know, Lord, when you come back to get your children, an' take 'em beyond the clouds
To live forever in Heaven with you: well, I'd sure hate to be in this crowd

You know, Lord, I'm not perfect; some even call me no count
But I'll tell you: I believe a man is judged by what's in his heart, not what's in his bank account
So if this is what religion is: a big car, a suit an' a tie
Then I might as well forget it Lord, 'cause I can't qualify

Oh, by the way, Lord, right before they kicked me out, didn't I see a picture of you?
With sandals an' a beard. Believe you had long hair too
Well, this is Paycheck, signing off
I'll be seein' you Lord, I hope





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Paycheck, Johnny The Outlaw's Prayer Comments
  1. M.... T....

    Man I think this ( man and song ),is like those very old-favouret, that U never get sick of listining to.TOO TO TOOOO LOVELY.

  2. C.... A....

    I love this

  3. e.... s....

    great song makes me want another beer

  4. b.... b....

    He is red sovine

  5. R.... V....

    Like I've said for years to preachers, my family and my wife. Anywhere I kneel and talk to God is my church, be it a shade tree in a field or a sidewalk in a town. Thats all I need.

  6. C.... S....

    Unfortunately, there's a whole lot of truth to this song.

  7. W.... O....

    The Song The Only Hell My Mama Raised, stayed on the chart for 10 weeks.

  8. W.... O....

    Maybalene was Yours and George’s rendezvous with the best band around. Royalty check is in the mail.

  9. G.... L....

    I like this song

  10. A.... D....

    Humbling....

  11. E.... H....

    He is telling the truth.

  12. R.... A....

    I've been thrown out of thousands of churches

  13. R.... A....

    You Johnny you'll be welcome others to hell with them

  14. R.... A....

    I said that to many of churches. You'll be just fine. But those within have no clue

  15. R.... A....

    You'll be just fine Johnny. It's those that regect you that regent me.

  16. R.... A....

    I've been thrown out of many churches. You'll be fine.

  17. V.... P....

    This song has touched me so deeply that I listened to it repeatedly. Had to share with my friends. Thank you Mr Paycheck.

  18. A.... L....

    TRUTH. Isn't it great???

  19. V.... C....

    ALL GOOD COUNTRY MIX SINGERS LOTS OF GOOD COUNTRY.

  20. j.... w....

    I wished all churches Would live by the word God Not what you look likeOr what did drive Or how much money You put in to the collection Plate but what God put on your heart in to do go places you don't want to go but you go any way

  21. N.... P....

    This song changed my outlook on money, dunno bout y’all

  22. R.... 2....

    I'm pretty sure in FT Worth it would have been okay to wear a cowboy hat at church. But still a good song.

  23. D.... K....

    Country.muisc.sucks.today.it.is.not.music.anymore.today

  24. H.... M....

    Johnny I sign beside Merle Haggard a whole lot of a good phone and after I pay for you bro the passage is free

  25. G.... S....

    Lord take me! I want to be in that number !

  26. W.... K....

    This video makes my eyes leak each time I listen to it. I believe Johnny Paycheck is in Heaven with JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH. Preparing a place for guys like me and Like Sir.Johnny Paycheck.I believe Johnny actually wrote this song from first hand experiences.

  27. N.... A....

    Good job

  28. W.... K....

    Thanks Terry Morgan, this one hits close to home for me. When I was a teen I was kicked out of the choir because my white wall hair cut wasn't 2 inches off my collar. They actually took two 6inch rullers to the top of my head and measured down my neck.it was too long even with a military white wall hair cut.( For those of you who weren't around in the 60's and 70's, a white wall hair cut is when the barber would take his clippers and drive it around your ears and expose your scalp.) I left church for a while after that. I was 17.

  29. J.... 3....

    "...and I thought how one stained glass window from that church could've fed his family for years..." (like all the millions being spent on things these days & so many suffering from poverty)

  30. M.... S....

    I'm afraid us good godly"Christian's"have forgotten about these kind of people.lord Jesus forgive me

  31. K.... N....

    The whole reason a lot of people don't attend church today, we can live and serve the Lord on our own homes! God Bless You Johnny Paycheck!

    K.... N....

    So true

  32. R.... K....

    HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERY BODY, May 2020 bring us all together.

  33. I.... h....

    I liked Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It".....

  34. K.... K....

    I don't have any gift to bring that's fit to give a King. But Johnny Paycheck sure describe my life in this song.

  35. J.... M....

    James and mann

  36. S.... B....

    💜💜💜💜💜One of the best songs ever written..

  37. R.... K....

    Be seeing you LOAD, "I HOPE " ..MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY BODY..2019

  38. b.... ....

    great song and great singer thanks for sharing. LorraineG.

  39. G.... S....

    Trump forever

  40. 1.... ....

    Outstanding and sometimes it really happens !☹️🙏🏻🙏🏻

  41. J.... K....

    This is so true

  42. A.... A....

    Love ol Johnny Paycheck. Miss the way country music used to sound. Thank God for a few today that are keeping traditional country music alive.(You won't find them on the radio) Cody Jinks, Ward Davis, Whitey Morgan & The 78's, Jamey Johnson.. to name a few.

  43. K.... C....

    SO TRUE SO TRUE,,,,,,KEEPING UP WITH JONE'S AT CHURCH....

  44. F.... W....

    Why does everybody seem to think God needs money . ???? . . . There ain't no Bank of America or Walmart in heaven . . . .that money in the collection plate is going to the preacher and that preacher isn't going to get you into heaven . . . Just because your giving him money . . . . Do you people really think God comes by once every Sunday and collect all that money out of the collection . ???? . . . . try checking the preachers pockets for the money from the collection play that's where you'll find it . !!!!!

  45. C.... L....

    Love this song

  46. R.... H....

    Dang fine song

  47. T.... L....

    What happened to voices like this. Real songs .

  48. M.... M....

    He is channeling Red Sovine

  49. C.... R....

    Only Jesu's can judge us Amen.

  50. n.... W....

    Beautiful song

  51. R.... B....

    TELL IT ALL BROTHER !!

  52. R.... S....

    Oh man seriously 😣 they would of never of let Jesus in a church.. Anyways The Lord said not in sticks an stones am I in gather together an I will be with you. Sad honestly😢 but I do go in my blue jeans, as n sometimes my nice Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, or Rolling Stones black T-shirts😉 was only asked to leave one church 🤷 Went fishing an talked to the Lord out their in his true creation Mother Earth 💖

  53. M.... T....

    Love this song

  54. G.... m....

    God's people are not in church look over here in the river..

  55. F.... W....

    Churches now a days . . . Is nothing but a social club . . . . And the congregation is a bunch of social lights putting on airs . . . And only thanking God for there money and bank accounts .. . . . And other poor churches with poor people praying for more money and bigger bank accounts . . . . Seems like money and bank accounts are more important than God . . . People hold their check books alot tighter than they do the Bible .

  56. S.... K....

    Great style and great timing. RIP

  57. J.... M....

    A lot of people are Sunday morning Cristans. Fucking hypocrites. Long live Paycheck.

  58. J.... S....

    Beautiful inspired words!

  59. b.... k....

    Jesus indeed had long hair, a beard and sandals on his feet...that is hypocrisy coming from that person that refused him entrance into that church.

  60. R.... R....

    U are love god

  61. R.... R....

    God bless you son of man

  62. R.... R....

    God loves us and u

  63. A.... W....

    how many churches would welcome me

  64. t.... ....

    This resounds with me. Born and raised in Waco, Texas, Home to Baylor University...."THEE" Southern Baptist University. Now Southern Baptist are totally against Betting, Dancing, Booze, and in Waco, you can bet your boots if you aren't a Baylor Alum, you WILL NOT BE A CITY LEADER. The woods near my house abutted "THEE" Country Club in Town...Ridgewood CC. As kids we would listen in on those golfers on the course.....and guess what, those Civic Leaders, Baylor Alum, Church goers on Wednesday and Sunday attending "THEE" Church---1'st Baptist, would be betting on holes as they drank their cocktails, beer, and wine....probably dancing a jig if they won the hole. I became pretty cynical of churches and paid attention to all the hypocrisy that they espoused.....turned me off and turned me to NATURE as a constant...I guess you could say I am way more PAGAN than Christian, and this song hits home as perfect. If you want to be a Christian, then ACT LIKE IT!!!!!!!

  65. L.... B....

    What's terrible was I was trying to find this TIMELESS CLASSIC MEANINGFUL TUNE, & The "web" instead offered= BS like Tim Mcgraw, Keith Urban, & Eric Church to name a few. ORIGINALS & TRAILBLAZERS CAN NEVER BE REPLACED BY PRETTY BOYS OR FAKES!

  66. T.... R....

    What happened to real country music. Man I miss it. Country ain't country anymore

  67. J.... K....

    I love ya paycheck

  68. R.... ....

    "......One of those stained windows could have fed his family for years". Just one of numerous reasons I don't, won't, support organized religions, their huge buildings, and stained glass windows. Rest in Peace Johnny. Country music misses you.

  69. W.... W....

    I know some folks that need to hear this song,,those so called bible thumpers ,

  70. L.... m....

    Love It!!

  71. G.... G....

    *RIP JOHNNY*

  72. P.... C....

    The ideas about Christians he portrays are from a time and place that barely really exists. There's quite a bit of a lie happening in this song.

  73. D.... S....

    Once you say "I hope" your doubting if your going to heaven. Then you may not be going.

  74. S.... L....

    It sounds like shawn long 2019 (Jay walker)

  75. J.... L....

    Have a listen to Johnny  Paycheck ~  ~  So very true Johnny!!

  76. R.... N....

    This music right there is what the kids these day need to listen these days , sorry thats just what i think world be better place only lord

  77. A.... S....

    A-FREAKEN-MEN! THIS SONG NEEDS TO GET OUT MORE! AS A HOMELESS MAN THIS HITS THE HEART!

  78. D.... M....

    Amen...

  79. S.... T....

    I go to church wearing nothing more than a tshirt and a pair of jeans cause the LORD DOESN'T CARE WHAT I'M WEARING.

  80. R.... B....

    Only one perfect man Jesus Christ no matter what color you are where you from we must aloha each other with mean love

  81. P.... H....

    The Outlaw Prayer 🙏🏻
    To all The Churches ⛪️
    Listening 👂 to this Song
    How many’s Likes ?
    Public to View
    All years round
    Matthew West
    Please read thisj Johnny Paycheck

  82. M.... C....

    Love it

  83. B.... B....

    I was turned away from a church years ago cause of my clothes. I got of the tractor late hauled ass to town just get turned away....thats the last time i stepped into a church. I lived these words love Johnny.

  84. C.... W....

    Yep! Been there. Was sad!

  85. A.... ....

    You know? Johnny Paycheck was a piece of shit, Just as I am, and you are. I love this, because this is the truth about religion. I love Jesus Christ, because he sees us just like this.

  86. G.... M....

    How the hell can you dislike this song paycheck just telling it like it is

  87. S.... B....

    MY MY , THANKS FOR THIS LITTLE FELLER.

  88. k.... v....

    I learned more about Jesus from a Jew named Avi Lipkin than I ever learned in church. Jesus was a Jew, a Rabi and a healer and adopted son of a carpenter. Jesus will always answer those who sincerely call on him. He died for the the sinner not the saint.

  89. E.... G....

    If he came to my church, no one would even think of asking him to leave. And if he sat next to me there would be two of us there with long hair and beards. But we wouldn't be the only ones.

  90. R.... M....

    I know the feeling. Some church folks show the love. Some do not know what it is.

  91. E.... H....

    This song is for all the Hypocrites. You go to church on Sunday, and live like the Devil . I live my life day by day in a way I want to I am not a Hypocrite!

  92. i.... ....

    Ain't it crazy how paycheck talks for almost 6 minutes and it's still more country than anything on todays "country" radio.

  93. m.... ....

    I have ALWAYS loved his music, and a great guy as well!...