Tom Russell - Hallie Lonnigan lyrics

My name is Hallie Lonnigan I married Walter Jones for better or for worse so said the Reverend Dr. Stone but the better times are all used up and the worse times took control then drinking took my Walter may the lord protect his soul along with two young kids to raise out on the western plains my children harmonized with wolves and sang just like the rain but haulin hay and water were the desperate daily facts and the years have carved their memories in the muscles of my back Hallie Lonnigan will tell these truths to you hard times the only times I ever new hard luck's the only horse I ever drew hard work's the only way I made it through then I married for convenience sake a trader from in town a blacksmith named Charlie Hawk who'd court me on his rounds but he'd paw me like a wolverine and there's cheatin' in his blood he fell upon my butcher knife and crawled off through the mud well no one was the wiser when ol Charlie disappeared and me and them poor children never shed one single tear we can run this place on our own don't need no drunks or cheats and the men they step aside now when I walk down market street Hallie Lonnigan will tell these truths to you hard times the only times I ever new hard luck's the only horse I ever drew hard work's the only way I made it through this land was conquered by brave men your history books will say proud men upon fast horses drove the indian away my name is Hallie Lonnigan I'll have you all to know that the secret of your history is in a workin woman's soul Hallie Lonnigan will tell these truths to you hard times the only times I ever new hard luck's the only horse I ever drew hard work's the only way I made it through hard work's the only way I made it through