July the 12th sure was a scorcher Mama, she fixed some lemonade Sister Beth was sunning in the sunshine And baby Corey was playing in the shade I looked up the road And yonder comes a big car Something we don't see much around here Big man said, son, where's your pappy Said, he's over in the cornfield Not far from here They started talking over by the rail fence It looked like Papa was getting mad They walked to the house and papa was crying Papa never cried and I knew it was bad Two weeks later in the Logan courthouse
Raining cats and dogs outside Sure was awful the way mama was crying She says she thought that woman had lied Papa said, Judge We tried to raise up a good boy From a little bitty tot Jody'd never go against Of what a woman wishes That kinda boy we know that he's not You know the power of the almighty dollar Will come out the winner every time That Willie Buchanan done got away with something They're trying to blame on the boy of mine Hmmm mmm mmm... July the 12th, 1939 Hmmm mmm mmm...