Tom T. Hall - Before Jessie Died lyrics

She sat on the bar stool, she smoked and she drank Till the past became clear and the future went blank In the path she regains all her beauty and pride But that was before Jessie died Jessie, her husband was small, he was lean Drove a big yellow earth moving machine They had a new pick-up, the joy of their lives But that was before Jessie died She used to go shopping for pretty young clothes And her hair done Thursdays and her nails and her toes And on weekends they danced till the first morning light But that was before Jessie died On weekends they'd cook out and watch all the games Jessie knew all of the best players names The sunshine so bright it put tears in your eyes But that was before Jessie died When Jessie got sick he was thirty years old They said, "It ain't nothing but a little light cold" And he worked till the pain wouldn't ease or subside And that was before Jessie died Now she sits on the stool with a gla** in her hand She smiles and she talks to a travelin' man And there was time she would turn down a ride But that was before Jessie died She sat on the bar stool, she smoked and she drank 'Till the past became clear and the future went blank In the path she regains all her beauty and pride But that was before Jessie died