[Verse 1] Now I hear a lot of tall stories since my business is writin songs And every now and then if you listen real close A good true one comes along And this is the story of old Bill Crump from the North Carolina Hills Nat Winston of Nashville knew this man real well [Chorus] He built the church and he built the pews He built the cradles and the furniture for the schools Folks in Avery County say that he was better than good Probably one of the reasons the Lord made wood [Verse 2] Now men have faults and Bills fault was He loved to sip that corn He lived ninety some years that way Dont guess it was hurtin him none You could take him a picture from a catalog He could build anything hed see He could make anything That you could make out of the tree One day Bill said, Mama Im gettin old I want you to measure me good Im goin out to that wood pile And get myself some wood And Im gonna make me a coffin I want it to fit me fine The way I figure it Ive got about enough time [Chorus] [Verse 3] Now Bill worked on that coffin Like he was gonna be there awhile Hed show the folks and rub that wood And then stand back and smile He used that body for ninety some years Figured it had treated him good And when he left it He put it away in some real fine wood Oh, right now old Bills sleepin In the hills of North Caroline In his homemade coffin Handrubbed walnut velvet lined Now most folks use their heads and hands And just think of themselves His bodys there But his spirits someplace else [Chorus] [Outro] He built the church and he built the pews
wood, built, bill, coffin, ninety