One of the greatest talents which George Jones possessed was
his ability to tell a story in a lyrical quality; unique in that he didn’t talk
over the music, as in the “talking” type of blues. He actually sang the story.
In this one written by Roger Ferris, Mr. Jones laments the loss of his beloved,
and sits down to have a chat with himself, Jim Beam, Elvis, and even Fred from
the jelly glasses he is drinking from in his drunken revelry.
The results are both sad and comical as he discovers that his drinking is the cycle which precipitated
his whole dilemma in the first place. I particularly like this live
performance, for that is when Mr. Jones was always at his best; live and
working the audience.
"The King is Gone
(And So Are You)" by Roger Ferris
Last night I broke the seal on a Jim Beam decanter
That looks like Elvis
I soaked the label off a Flintstone Jelly Bean jar
I cleared us off a place on that
One little table that you left us
And pulled me up a big ole piece of floor.
I pulled the head off Elvis
Filled Fred up to
his pelvis
Yabba Dabba Doo, the King is gone
And so are you.
'Round about ten we all got to talking
'Bout Graceland, Bedrock and such
The conversation finally turned to women
But they said they didn't get around too much
Elvis said, "Find 'em young."
And Fred said, "Old Fashioned girls are fun."
Yabba Dabba Doo, the King is gone
And so are you.
Later on it finally hit me
That you wouldn't be 'a comin' home no more
'Cause this time I know you won't forgive me
Like all of them other times before
Then I broke Elvis's nose
Pouring the last drop from his toes
Yabba Dabba Doo, the King is gone
And so are you.
Yabba Dabba Doo, the King is gone
And so are you.
Last night I broke the seal on a Jim Beam decanter
That looks like Elvis
.
