Mike Hamilton

Lyrics

MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE
APPALACHIA
MICHAEL J. HAMILTON
©1998 JOE BAG O' DONUTS MUSIC BMI

HE WORKED THRU THE NIGHT SHIFT
WORKED THE FARM THRU EACH DAY
42 YEARS IN THE COAL MINES
HE LIVED LIFE THAT WAY
HE SAID "AM I KILLING TIME
OR IS TIME KILLING ME?"
AS HE WAITS FOR HIS "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

HE WAS MARRIED TO THE WOMAN
THAT HE MET AT FOURTEEN
HE WAS PUTTING UP HAY
FOR HER DAD MISTER GREENE
AND SHE RAISED HIS EIGHT CHILDREN
AND TENDED THEIR WOUNDS

HELPED THEM OUT WITH THEIR SCHOOLWORK
AND BROKEN HEARTS TOO
NOW THE CHILDREN HAVE MARRIED
AND IT'S JUST HER AND HE
AS THEY WAIT FOR THE "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

THE HOUSE IT IS EMPTY
AND TOO BIG IT SEEMS
LIVING LIFE ON HIS PENSION
WON'T FULFILL THEIR DREAMS
AS SHE STARES OUT THE WINDOW
AND HE WATCHES TV
AND THEY WAIT FOR THE "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

THEN CAME THE LOST SON
NO ONE TALKS ABOUT
HE WAS DIFFERENT AS A CHILD
AND HE'S QUITE DIFFERENT NOW
HIS ROOMMATE HAS PASSED ON
AND LEFT HIM THIS DISEASE

ON A BED IN A HOSPICE WITH NO FAMILY
ONLY NURSES AND MORPHINE
FOR HIS PAIN TO EASE
AS HE WAITS OUT HIS "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

HE GETS DAILY VISITS FROM THE COMMUNITY
THEY TRY HARD TO SUPPORT HIM
THEY KNOW THIS ROUTINE
AS HE DRIFTS BACK AND FORTH
FROM REALITY
AND HE LONGS FOR HIS "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

WELL SHE'S OWNED THIS OLD TAVERN
FOR TOO MANY YEARS
SERVING UP SHOTS OF WHISKEY
AND GLASSES OF BEER
KNOWS THE NAMES TO THE FACES
AND WHAT TIME THEY ARRIVE

AND SHE KNOW WAY TOO MUCH
ABOUT EACH OF THEIR LIVES
AIN'T NOTHING CAN SURPRISE HER
AIN'T NOTHING SHE AIN'T SEEN
AS SHE WAITS FOR HER "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

LOCKS UP EVERY NIGHT
GOES HOME AND SOAKS HER FEET
DIABETES, ARTHRITIS
HAS WEAKENED HER KNEES
AND SHE LISTENS TO THE BLUEGRASS
'TIL A QUARTER TO THREE
AND SHE HUMS TO THE "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

HE WAS AN OLD COUNTRY SINGER
HE'D BEEN AROUND TOWN FOR YEARS
HE WOULD YODEL AND SING
IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS BEER

AND HE'D MAKE UP HIS OWN SONGS
AND SING THEM FOR FREE
TO THE FARMERS AND THE LOST BOYS
AND THE TAVERN LADY
AND THE ONE MOST REQUESTED
WAS A SONG HE WOULD SING
AND HE NAMED IT "THE MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE"

HE SANG OF LIVING AND LOVING
AND SHARING ONE'S DREAMS
ABOUT GROWING OLD
AND THE PAIN IT CAN BRING
WHEN ITS TIME TO MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT LIFE YOU'LL SEE
THE JOY OF YOUR "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE "
THE JOY OF YOUR "MIDNIGHT REPRIEVE "