curly putman
Country singer/songwriter Curly Putman - born Claude Putman Jr. - wrote this song about death row late 1964, and Johnny Darrell was the first one to record it the same year, but it flopped. In '65 Porter Wagoner had some success on the country charts, and various famous country artists included it in their albums. But in '66 the Welsh artist Tom Jones heard Jerry Lee Lewis' version, cut it and there we go ... it became his breakthrough: his pop version have probably sold more than all other versions together, and they are many.
The first one I can remember, was by swedish artist Jan Malmsjõ "En sång en gång för längese'n" in '67. But author Stikkan Anderson was a coward; he made it a plain homecoming song. You see; in Sweden they don't sentence to death.
the old home town looks the same
as I step down from the train
and there to meet me is my mama and papa
down the road I look and there runs Mary
hair of gold and lips like cherries
it's good to touch the green green grass of home
yes they'll all come to meet me
arms reaching • smiling sweetly
it's good to touch the green green grass of home
the old house is still standing
though the paint is cracked and dry
and there's that old oak tree that I used to play on
down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary
hair of gold and lips like cherries
it's good to touch the green green grass of home
yes they'll all come to meet me
arms reaching • smiling sweetly
it's good to touch the green green grass of home
then I awake and look around me
at four grey walls that surround me
and I realize : yes I was only dreaming
for there's a guard and there's a sad old padre
on and on we'll walk at daybreak
again I'll touch the green green grass of home
yes they'll all come to see me
in the shade of that old oak tree
as they lay me neath the green green grass of home
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
D D7 the old home town looks the same G D as I step down from the train D A ...A7 and there to meet me is my mama and papa D D7 down the road I look and there runs Mary G Gm hair of gold and lips like cherries D Bm Em A7 D it's good to touch the green green grass of home D D7 yes they'll all come to meet me G Gm arms reaching smiling sweetly D Bm Em A7 D it's good to touch the green green grass of home
