Broken Man's Lament Lyrics

I was once a broken man
I was once a broken fool
Lost my wife and children
To one basic broken rule

Now I live my life in silence
Though I'm not quite in a shell
I drink and listen to that song
'A Whiter Shade of Pale', oh
A Whiter Shade of Pale

I was a good shade tree mechanic
So I sent myself to school
They smoothed out my rough edges
In my hands they put new tools

The instructor, once he told me
I could work on any line
I could tune to make a diesel sing
Just like Patsy Cline, oh
Just like Patsy Cline

Well, I met my wife to be
Through my mother's best friend's son
She'd been a barroom singer
She was as good as anyone

But I asked her to stop singing
And the girl, she did not flinch
Next day she went and bought that man
A brand new crescent wrench, oh
A brand new crescent wrench

We had three fine children
As eight years went on by
And earned a supervising line
My knuckles stayed bone dry

But after supper I kept hearing her
By the kitchen radio
Singing sweet but desperate harmony
A little bit too low, oh
A little bit too low

She left three months later
I'd just come home for lunch
Note said "Easy come, hard go
I still love you so much"

She said, "I don't know if I'll be there
Or if you'll want me when I come
But if and when that happens, dear
You'd better let my sweet dream run", oh
Let my sweet dream run

Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh

I was a good shade tree mechanic
So I sent myself to school
They smoothed out my rough edges
In my hand they put new tools

The instructor once he told me
I could work on any line
But now my diesels ain't the only thing
That sing like Patsy Cline, oh
Sing like Patsy Cline

I was once a broken man
I was once a broken fool
Lost my wife and children
To one basic broken rule

Now I live my life in silence
Though I'm not quite in a shell
I drink and listen to that song
'A Whiter Shade of Pale', oh

A Whiter Shade of Pale, oh
A Whiter Shade of Pale, oh
A Whiter Shade of Pale

Emmylou Harris - All I Intended to Be

Jun 2008

1. Shores of White Sand
2. Hold On
3. Moon Song
4. Broken Man's Lament
5. Gold
6. How She Could Sing the Wildwood
7. All That You Have is Your Soul
8. Take That Ride
9. Old Five and Dimers Like Me
10. Kern River
11. Not Enough
12. Sailing Round the Room
13. Beyond the Great Divide