Mister Jack

He hung around the bars in town An’ sometimes in the jail No one cared about his problems – Nobody paid his bail. His life went on without much change He just got pushed aside Then one day in fifty seven We saw his other side. That mornin’ he woke up sober He shaved an’ combed his hair Pressed his pants an’ shined his boots An’ breathed the mornin’ air. No one knew what got into him He’s always up an’ down But he knew what had woke him up The rodeo’s in town Bulls and Bronc’s to ride, calves to rope There was so much to do He signed his name to do ‘em all An’ felt himself brand new. The cowboys seemed to know him well An’ slapped him on the back We’d always called him “Rummy Joe”- They called him Mister Jack. We all watched with eyes wide open As he won three of four – An’ won the “All Around” of course We were stunned to the core. I stopped a cowboy by the gate An’ asked about his friend He hadn’t seen him for awhile Didn’t know where he’d been. They’d rodeo’d for fifteen years Goin’ from town to town He was a champion ‘til his wife Ran off with Chuck the Clown. Well he caught up with Chuck the Clown Down by the Rio Grande He shot him until he got tired – Buried him in the sand. The judge who tried him for the deed Traveled from town to town He loved to watch the rodeo But hated all the clowns So Mister Jack got thirty days Clown’s gal could only frown The judge said justice had been served The Jack shot the clown So that’s the tale of Mister Jack He’s up but once was down You’ll notice when he rides the bull There ain’t no clown around