Well, he came from Mississippi
paused in Tennessee
His father was a gambler
His mom danced in New Orleans
He raised his sons reckless
taught ‘em how to fight
Sometimes he’d read the good book
when things was goin’ right
Chorus:
(And he’d say)
Wherever there is smoke
surely you’ll find fire (every time)
And it’s a long walk to Heaven
you bes’ learn how to fly
Well, he packed up his life and he headed west
Started a card game, started to transgress
Half the outlaws feared him if they looked him in the eye
Some lost their money; some lost their lives
(repeat chorus)
In the winter of ‘35, the town had been uprooted
By an outlaw named Jack “Split-Pea” who took anything that he wanted.
He robbed our trains, destroyed our plains, he filled our streets with tears
He left us suffering without no shame, no peace, and no reprieve
Word traveled ‘round to Henry about this outlaw’s ascension
He saddled up and rode into town – a man in need of redemption
He challenged Jack to game of blood, and everybody gathered ‘round.
The two sat toe-to-toe where drops of Old Crow stained the ground
Ole Henry won seven straight hands from the stranger with the black mustache
Then the outlaw waived his pistol in the air, a bullet flew the colored, stained glass
The two men kept strugglin’ to gain the higher ground
When Henry pulled his daddy’s piece and cut the outlaw down
The whole town was indebted, and they honored Henry’s name
The man that spent a lifetime running merely buried all his shame
And our town’s been a peaceful one, nobody causing us any harm
And many years after Henry’s gone we still sing his song.
