Blues In More Than 12 Bars - Ralph McTell

Billy ran away from home when he was 17 years of age

Folks swore that he’d land in trouble just as near as they could gauge

'Cause he was a reckless kid, and everything he did

Was talked about and noticed by the folks that lived around him

They swore that Billy was much too wild

Ma said, «No, he’s just a child

There ain’t nothing wrong with Billy

That life won’t tame.»

Then Billy hit the new town with a few coins in his pocket

Thought about his past, but he pretty soon forgot it

And he walked into a bar, some fella bought him a drink

And he commenced the drinking until he could hardly think

Some guy said «Kid, you’ve had enough

It takes a man to drink that stuff!»

And Billy swung around and he laid one on him

Now the next day in the courthouse, poor Billy felt so ashamed

He hung his head down low when the judge called out his name

For fighting in a bar, which was a public place

He gave Billy a three month sentence, and poor Billy hid his face

The judge said «Lock that boy away, give him three months to repay

His debt to society for lack of sobriety.»

Billy then wrote a letter saying, «Mama get me out of here!

Time rolls by so slow, each day seems like a year.»

But his mama never got the letter, 'cause his daddy he read it first

And he figured that Billy should serve his time, and that would be the best

Now Billy served his time, learning a life of crime

And thinking even his mama had let him down

Now Billy got bad habits, drinking liquor that he could not take

Was in and out of trouble, chasing women that he could not make

And he was robbing houses, stealing cars, feeling the blues in more than twelve

bars

Wasn’t long before he was in the courthouse again

And this time when they made him free he vowed that he would never be

In court or get caught by no one again

So when Billy then pulled a job, well he’d up and leave the town

And he robbed around the country till he had enough to settle down

And Billy used his head, took a wife into his bed

And he employed some other guys to do his dirty work instead

And Billy played it cool, and his kids did well at school

And his life of sobriety was respected by society

At the parties at his place, all the rich folks came around

Wasn’t long before Billy was the mayor of the town

Bankers put up the money, and there wasn’t any fight

And it wasn’t too long 'fore Billy had got the town sown up real tight

While the money backing him, and the rich friends at his side

The next step to state governor was as easy as a fairground ride

And Billy then left his home when he was fifty-six years of age

To become the President of the United States

And if you think that is stretching it a little too far

Just think of this as having been a blues in more than twelve bars