Black Letter

Words and music : Ernest Tubb.

Original title : Soldiers Last Letter.

Recording date : août 1969.

Recording location : Elektra Studio, Los Angeles, California.

Musiciens : Johnny Meeks (lead guitar), Mars bonfire (rythm guitar), Skip Battin (bass guitar), Jim Grant (piano), Grant Johnson (leyboards), Red Rhodes (dobro and steel guitar), Jimmy Gordon (drums).

First publishing : US LP D9-102.

Lyrics :

The postmam delivered a letter
And it fills her two hands full of joy
For she did'n't know, what should there be inside
It was the last one from her darlin' boy
Dear mom, was the way that it started
Lord, I miss you so much, I didn't know
But mom, I didn't know, that I loved you so
But I'll prove it when this war is won
But I'm writing this letter down in the trench, ma
And don't you scold if the writin's, if the writin's not so neat
Don't scold as you did when I was kid
When I come home with mud on my feet

Well the old mother's han started trembling
They trembled with shame that's not known
And the tears, then they came,, but they came on a shame
For the letter was signed with no name
That night as she knelt by her bedside
She prayed to the God up above
She said : God, don't you see
What my boy meant to me
But dear God, keep America free