"The Letter That Never Came" lyrics - LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III
"Is there any mail for me?" was the question that he asked
Of the postman at the closing of the day.
Then he turned away and sighed, while a tear stood in his eye,
As he bowed his head and slowly walked away.
Was it from a gray-haired mother? Or a sister or a brother?
Had he waited all those many years in vain?
From the early morning light, he would watch 'til dark of night
For the letter, but, at last, it never came.
So one day upon the shore, he was found, but life was o'er -
His poor soul, it must have gone out with the tide.
In his hand they found a note with the last words that he wrote:
"Should a letter come, please place it by my side!"
Was it from a gray-haired mother? Or a sister or a brother?
Had he waited all those many years in vain?
From the early morning light, he would watch 'til dark of night
For the letter, but, at last, it never came.
Sweet flowers twine around the tombstone o'er his mound,
Upon which was scrawled his age, also his name.
Many years have gone, they say, since his spirit passed away,
But the letter that he longed for never came.
Was it from a gray-haired mother? Or a sister or a brother?
Had he waited all those many years in vain?
From the early morning light, he would watch 'til dark of night
For the letter, but, at last, it never came.
High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (2009)
- High Wide & Handsome
- Took My Gal Out Walkin'
- I'm The Man Who Rode The Mule Around The World
- My Mother & My Sweetheart
- Bill Mason's Bride
- Goodbye Booze
- Old Ballyhoo
- Little Waterloo
- I'm Glad I'm Married
- Mother's Last Farewell Kiss
- Acres Of Diamonds
- Way Up In New York City
- If I Lose
- The Great Reaping Day
- Where The Whippoorwill Is Whispering Goodnight
- The Man In The Moon
- The Deal
- No Knees
- Moving Day
- Old And Only In The Way
- Ragtime Annie
- Sweet Sunny South
- The Letter That Never Came
- Awful Hungry Hash House
- Rowena
- Didn't He Ramble
- Ramblin' Blues
- Charlie's Last Song
- Beautiful
- High Wide & Handsome (Reprise)