Tall Weeds and Rust

Writers: Tom T Hall/Dixie Hall/Don Rigsby

The bulldozer's working back up on the hill
Same land my grandpa and his daddy tilled
Three generations of dreams turned to dust
Watered with tears in the tall weeds and rust

Tall weeds and rust
Tall weeds and rust
A whole way of life gone to y'all weeds and rust

Stretch of black soil that was our garden spot
A shade tree for rest when the sun was too hot
There lays that ol hourglass that's lost all it's sand
A far cry from when we had time on our hands

They found where somebody had built them a still
Can't think of his name now don't reckon I will
With no one the wiser what's passed them on by
Well Sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie

Chorus

There went the old henhouse that mama loved so
We wake up each day when the rooster would crow
She sang while she worked and I'm sorry to say
I'm glad she can't hear what I'm singin today

They dug up a part of the old sorghum mill
And the shed where the heck hung when hogs had been killed
While uncle told stories of sugar sweet cane
And sugar sweet girls at the end of the lane

Chorus

Now don't let that dozer get too close to those graves
That's one patch of mountain we'll just have to save
Progress oh progress move on if you must
But save me that small patch of tall weeds and rust