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Well God bless Texas |
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And Deakon Shackleford |
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He read the bible seven times |
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And he believed every word |
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That ol' beat up leather book had been through it all |
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He sat on the back pew so he could chew him a chaw |
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Singin' |
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"Amazing Grace |
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How sweet the sound" |
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That saved a wrech like me |
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He carried candy for the kids in his Sunday dress coat |
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He'd take me fishin' after church |
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And taught me things I needed to know |
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No, Deakon didn't have a family |
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Lord knows he wished he did |
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He told the whole congregation that I was his grandkid |
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Chorus: |
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And today he joined up with Jesus |
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Wearing shiny pearl snaps |
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We sang a few gospel hymns |
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And then the soldier played taps |
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I bet he's walkin' with Pete down the street paved with gold |
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Showin' off his brand spanking new wings |
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And his barbed wire halo |
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He married sweet Emma Grace before the war was through |
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She held his right arm next to his anchor tatoo |
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He was on a ship off at sea when she died in child birth |
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He lost his whole world from the far side of the earth |
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He lost the will to love |
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He lost the will to live |
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Until he met a man who taught him to forgive |
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Yeah life took him to hell and back |
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To hell and back a time or two |
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But in the end he beat the devil until he was black and blue |
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Singin' |
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"I once was lost |
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But now I'm found |
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Was blind |
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But now I see" |
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(Chorus) |
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Before he went he made me promise him that I wouldn't cry |
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And though I told him that I wouldn't I couldn't help but lie |
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Cause today he joined up with Jesus |
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Wearing shiny pearl snaps |
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We sang a few gospel hymns |
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And then the soldier played taps |
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I bet he's walking with Pete down the street paved with gold |
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As sure as the old church bell still rings |
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He always said he had country in his soul |
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He's showing off his brand spanking new wings |
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And his barbed wire halo |
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Sweet chariots coming forth to carry me home |
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Swing low sweet chariots coming forth to carry me home |