Lonesome Armadillo ©12/6/23 Paxton, Fabricius, O’Brien

I was sittin’ in the “You Wash It” laundromat in Nashville Tennessee
There was a scruffy armadillo sittin’ right next to me
He asked me for a quarter, said I’m down on my luck you see
He rolled a smoke, he said this ain’t no joke, I’m as lost as I can be

I’m a lonesome armadillo far away from home
Take me back to Amarillo, back where I come from
I want a cactus for my pillow, I’d be such a sight to see
In the shade of a weepin’ willow is home sweet home to me

I tried to make it here in Music City, I never achieved a thing
I’m a nine-band armadillo, but none of my scales will sing
I could lie in the street like Willie, wait to see what life would bring
But I’ll turn my snout to the west and south toward the land of Western Swing

I’m a lonesome armadillo, far away from home
Take me back to Amarillo, back where I come from
I want a cactus for my pillow, I’d be such a sight to see
In the shade of a weepin’ willow is home sweet home to me

Well, the winter’s comin’ on now, I’m getting short on ants and grubs
I don’t like your Nashville chicken, I can’t stand that red hot rub
I tried to buy a record, they kicked me out of Ernest Tubb’s
I guess I’ll have to pack it without a Manuel jacket and I never even got to meet Mike Bub

I’m a lonesome armadillo, far away from home
Take me back to Amarillo, back where I come from
I want a cactus for my pillow, I’d be such a sight to see
In the shade of a weepin’ willow is home sweet home to me

Tim O’Brien (No Bad Ham Music / admin by Bluewater Music / ASCAP), Jan Fabricius (BMI) and Tom Paxton ( Bristow Songs / SESAC)