All vocals by Vicki Lawrence

Music played by Wrecking Crew

Phonographic Copyright (p) – Bell Records

Produced For – Garrett Music Enterprises

Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute

Tracks 1, 2, 5, & 11 Published By – Pixruss Music

Track 3 Published By – Fox-Gimbel Productions

Track 4, 6 & 9 Published By – Senor Music

Track 7 Published By – Russell-Cason Music

Tracks 9 & 10 Published By – Peso Music

Mastered At – Artisan Sound Recorders

Arranged By – Artie Butler, Larry Muhoberac

Art Direction – Beverly Weinstein

Design – Ken Kim, Woody Woodward

Engineer – Eric Prestidge, Jerry Barnes

Liner Notes – Carol Burnett

Producer – Snuff Garrett

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA

He was on his way home from Candletop,
Been two weeks gone, and he'd thought he'd stop,
At Web's and have him a drink 'fore he went home to her. 

Andy Warlord said: "Hello."
He said "Hi. What's doing?"
Wo said: "Sit down, I got some bad news and it's gonna hurt." 

He said: "I'm your best friend, and you know that's right,
But your young bride ain't home tonight.
Since you've been gone, she's been seeing that Amos boy, Seth."
Now he got mad, and he saw red.
Andy said: "Boy, don't you lose your head,
'Cause to tell you the truth, I've been with her myself."

Chorus:

That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia

That's the night that they hung an innocent man

Well, don't trust your soul to no back woods Southern lawyer

'Cause the judge in the town's got bloodstains on his hands

Well Andy got scared, and left the bar,
Walking on home, 'cause he didn't live far.
You see, Andy didn't have many friends,
And he just lost him one.
Brother thought his wife must've left town,
So he went home and finally found,
The only thing Papa had left him, and that was a gun. 

He went off to Andy's house,
Slipping through the back woods quiet as a mouse.
Came upon some tracks too small for Andy to make.
He looked through the screen at the back porch door,
And he saw Andy lying on the floor,
In a puddle of blood, and he started to shake. 

Georgia patrol was making their rounds,
So he fired a shot just to flag them down.
A big-bellied sheriff grabbed his gun and said "Why'd you do it?" 

Judge said guilty on a make-believe trial,
Slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile,
And said: "Supper's waiting at home, and I gotta get to it."

Repeat Chorus

Well, they hung my brother before I could say,
The tracks he saw while on his way,
To Andy's house and back that night were mine.
And his cheating wife had never left town,
That's one body that'll never be found.
You see, little sister don't miss when she aims her gun.

Repeat Chorus and fade

MR. ALLISON

Won't you come on in?

Sit down in the den

Here's some mail that came for you

Love letters from your friend

Dumb of her to send them here, but worse

Didn't she know I would see them first

Still they remain the same

No, I didn't read her name

There were times I wanted to

It drove me half insane

Wouldn't do no good to know who she is

'Cause I got my hands full just to keep my wits

So hold your head up, Mr. Allison

Just look at me and say

That you don't need me like yesterday

Then you can go to her, Mr. Allison

And not a word I'll say

What puzzles me so

Is the places that you go

Don't know why I brought up

'Cause I really don't want to know

Now you say

She didn't mean a thing to you

And just last night you told her you were through

I thought you'd say that, Mr. Allison

And that your memory of me was so strong

That you couldn't go along

Just couldn't go through with her, Mr. Allison

And you had to come home

What's the matter with me?

Well, it's been a lonely week

I guess I need to go to bed

'Cause I really have missed my sleep

Why the turn-away tear and what's wrong?

Oh, I see you want to come along

So hold your hand out, Mr. Allison

I can bend, so I will mend

There's a little of you in every man

I understand you, Mr. Allison, welcome home, welcome home

KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG

I heard he sang a good song

I heard he had a style

And so I came to see him to listen for a while

And there he was this young boy

A stranger to my eyes

Chorus:

Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Killing me softly with his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

I felt all flushed with fever

Embarrassed by the crowd

I felt he found my letters

And read each one out loud

I prayed that he would finish

But he just kept right on

Repeat Chorus

He sang as if he knew me

In all my dark despair

And then he looked right through me

As if I wasn't there

But he just kept on singing

Singing clear and strong

Repeat Chorus twice

Strumming my pain

Oh, he was singing my life...

SENSUAL MAN

You play your tune on me

Like no one ever played before

Touching every chord in me

Then leave me begging you for more

Traces of your touch stay warm inside my mind

And late at night I toss and turn

From wanting you I start to yearn

Chorus:

Sensual man

You build up in me a desire

Much stronger than the sun

I shouldn't be playing with fire

But into the burning flame I run

You make me love you

Like the world is coming to an end

And when I'm through, my love

I don't want the world to start again

But I belong to him, so all that I can do

While he's loving me I close my eyes

And I pretend I'm loving you

Repeat Chorus

You build up in me a desire

Much stronger than the sun

I shouldn't be playing with fire

But into the burning flame I run

LITTLE GREEN APPLES

And I wake up in the morning

With my hair down in my eyes and he says "Hi"

And I stumble to the breakfast table

While the kids are going off to school, "Goodbye"

And he reaches out and takes my hand

Squeezes it, says "How you feeling, hon?"

And I look across at smiling lips

That warm my heart and see my morning sun

And if that's not loving me

Then all I've got to say

God didn't make little green apples

And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime

And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss

Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme

God didn't make little green apples

And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime

And when my self is feeling low

I think about his face aglow and ease my mind

Sometimes I call him up at home knowing he's busy

And ask if he could get away and meet me

And maybe we could grab a bite to eat

Don't you know that he drops what he's doing

And hurries down to meet me and I'm always late

And he sits waiting patiently

And smiles when he first sees me, 'cause he's made that way

And if that's not loving me

Then all I've got to say

God didn't make little green apples

And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes

There's no such thing as make-believe

Puppy dogs, autumn leaves, no BB guns

God didn't make little green apples

And it don't rain in Indianapolis...

HE DID WITH ME

Look at you, girl

Walking down the street

For all the world to see

And if it seems you walk on air

Well, who wouldn't be?

You're closer to your brand new love

With every step you take

And I can almost tell you

Every little move he'll make

Chorus:

Does he hold you

Till you're sleeping softly every night?

Does he wake you with a kiss

To share the morning light?

And when he loves you, does he close his eyes

And reach for you each time you rise?

Has he told you yet he'll never set you free?

He did with me

I used to smile at how he'd leave

His clothes all scattered on the floor

And leave the shower running

And forget to close the door

The way he said each Sunday

Let's have breakfast here in bed

And all the toast that used to burn

While we'd make love instead

Repeat Chorus until fade

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA (1973)

All songs written by Bobby Russell except where noted.

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

Mr. Allison

Killing Me Softly With His Song

(Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel)

Sensual Man

(Annette Tucker & Jan Rado)

Little Green Apples
He Did With Me

(Gloria Sklerov & Harry Lloyd)
For A While We Helped Each Other Out
It Could Have Been Me

(Gloria Sklerov & Harry Lloyd)
Dime A Dance

(Bob Stone)
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves

(Bob Stone)

How You Gonna Stand It

FOR A WHILE WE HELPED EACH OTHER OUT

Remember when I saw you standing

Slightly crying and empty-handed

With no one that you could call your own

Looking up to something somewhere

Praying for life with no despair

Begging that the world leave you alone

Well, I guess I shouldn't have butted in

But it looked as though you could use a friend

And I'd lost one myself and was looking about

Remember it was kind of crazy

I held my hand out; you took it, baby

And for a while we helped each other out

Remember how I dried every tear that you cried

And I gave you love to trust beyond a doubt

Whenever I was down

You made me laugh, brought me around, baby

For a while we helped each other out

Then early one day in the morning sun

That time came we knew would come

When in our hearts, there was love no more

I guess we're just two of that kind

That look for love, but never find

The love in mind that we were looking for

But I'll always have a warm spot for you

'Cause at one time I adored you

And if I pass this way again, I'll shout

It may be a year before I come through

But when I do, I'll call on you

'Cause at one time we helped each other out

It may be a year before I come through

But when I do, I'll call on you

'Cause at one time we helped each other out

IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME

Organ music softly playing

Sounds of people's whispers saying

"She's a pretty bride; you're such a lucky man"

I smile and blink the tears away

And find the proper words to say

While aching with the pain they just can't understand

Chorus:

It could have been me

Wearing that dress of white

It could have been me

Holding you close tonight

It could have been me

Giving your children life

Why can't it be me who'll be your wife?

Now we're all gathered together

You vow your love for worse or better

Lift her veil and kiss her with a tender glow

Then leading her back up the aisle

I try to meet your eyes and smile

But all the time my heart is breaking so

Repeat Chorus

They toast the lovely bride and groom

And as you leave the noisy room

They say that it's my turn to catch the bride's bouquet

And as the crowd goes streaming past

And someone says "He's hers at last"

I hold my pretty flowers and slowly walk away

Repeat Chorus

DIME A DANCE

I came to the city cause the folks back home

Thought I was pretty enough to make it

They bought me a ticket on a star-bound greyhound

I was on my way

But I landed in a dance hall

Part time money was all I could make

Chorus:

Saying hey mister, take a chance

It only costs you a dime a dance

And if you're looking for romance

I'll be nice to you

Hey mister, it's so cold

When you don't have someone to hold

I'll do anything I'm told to do

Baby, I want you

At the time he was living with his wife and kids

She wasn't giving him the love he needed

He poured out his troubles at the Sleepwell Motel

As I poured the wine

He said that he was gonna marry me

If she'd only let him go

So a worn-out promise

And a party gown keeps me in this town

Repeat Chorus

GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES

I was born in the wagon of a traveling show

Mama used to dance for the money they'd throw

Papa would do whatever he could

Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good

Chorus:

Gypsies, tramps, and thieves

We'd hear it from the people of the town

They'd call us gypsies, tramps, and thieves

And every night

All the men would come around and lay their money down

We picked up a boy just south of mobile

Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal

I was sixteen, he was twenty-one

Drove with us to Memphis

And papa would've shot him if he knew what he'd done

Repeat Chorus

I never had schooling but he taught me well

With his smooth southern style

Three months later I'm a gal in trouble

And I haven't seen him for a while

Oh, no, I haven't seen him for a while

She was born in the wagon of a traveling show

Mama had to dance for the money they'd throw

Grandpa'd do whatever he could

Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good

Repeat Chorus

HOW YOU GONNA STAND IT

And you just pulled in your driveway

And you get out of your car

And the next-door neighbor's Collie

Stomps across the big backyard

And it looks a little different now

When you know it's missing love

And everyone knows how you feel

And no one really does

Chorus:

Baby, how you gonna stand it?

How you gonna live

When there's no one left to live for

And there's no love left to give?

When there's no one to put in with you

Like I did for so long

Baby, how you gonna stand it when I'm gone?

Don't forget to taste the wine, love

While your young and it's still warm

Don't forget your sense of humor

In the sunshine and the storm

Don't forget to give the world a smile

As it goes passing by

Don't forget to hide your face, love, when you cry

Repeat Chorus

You could call them up and have a party

Everybody knows that parties end

Then who will sit with you after the party?

You're gonna find no one's that good a friend

And at four o'clock some morning

When the silence wakes your mind

And your eyes see something in the room

That I have left behind

And it's too early then to call a friend

So you got to sit alone

And reality confronts you that I'm not coming home

Baby, how you gonna stand it?

Who you gonna call when the memories surround you

From the bedroom to the hall

When there's no one there to cling to you like I did for so long

Baby, how you gonna stand it?

How you gonna stand it?

How you gonna stand it when I'm gone?