The Man Who Picked The Wildwood Flower
Merle Haggard & The Strangers
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Lyrics
I only saw five people when they buried Jack Dupree
Two diggers and the preacher, the funeral man, and me
The prayer was said and the hole was filled in less than half an hour
And I said goodbye to the little man who picked the wildwood flower
For twenty years, I'd seen him on the lower Nashville streets
They said he always earned enough to buy his clothes and eats
He'd stop awhile and check his watch with the big clock on the tower
That's when I asked him once if he could pick the wildwood flower
He always drew a crowd because he put on such a show
He'd dance and sing and play and smile just like a polished pro
And every time he saw me standing in the crowd
I knew the tune that he'd play next would be "The Wildwood Flower"
I told him once that he could be what people call a star
And he said, "Why, boy, I'm happy, how many of them folks are?
I'd hate to have to force a smile and feel myself turn sour
There ain't no put-on in my face when I pick the wildwood flower"
Then I saw a thousand people as they began to come
Businessmen and opera stars, party girls, and bums
And on that little mound of clay, bouquets began to shower
As they paid respect to the little man who picked the wildwood flower