Description
The Watermelon Man (Reprise) (7:16)
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
O, the Watermelon Man . . . the Lord took him to the Promised Land. You could tell where he was going by where he’d been.
Yes and the Watermelon Man . . . sitting singing in the Promised Land . . . Please bring me one more melon when you can.
He used to come almost every day, while mother was away. He’d sit me on his knee and share a laugh or two.
Recounting all the years . . . he would smile in tears . . . recounting all those years that we had lived this way.
Recounting all those years that we had lived this way.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
Black grease lived beneath his fingernails . . . and hid in the crack-lines of his skin . . . to keep him warm.
While his shirts were always torn . . . and his shoes were mostly worn . . . I tell you, that man, he had a clean face.
I tell you, that man, he had a clean face.
One summer when the flies would blacken our old screen door, he came sweating, bleeding, beaten ‘til his eyes swelled shut.
I gave him ice and soup . . . and . . . he was sorry for where he’d stooped to . . .
Then mom came home and he sneaked out through the alley cans. Then mom came home and he sneaked out through the alley cans.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
Once he met me walking home from school . . . and it was cold. He gave up his gray ripped jacket . . . and I felt warm.
As I watched him scurry off . . . his armed locked, he shivered and coughed. To this day, I still do wonder where he could have gone.
To this day, I still do wonder where he could have gone.
O, the Watermelon Man . . . the Lord took him to the Promised Land. You could tell where he was going by where he’d been.
Yes and the Watermelon Man . . . sitting singing in the Promised Land . . .
Please bring me one more melon when you can. Please bring me one more melon when you can.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
Nearly every summer day, he’d bring a melon by . . . and stay. His laugh could surely sing . . . O how he’d laugh sometimes.
Reading scriptures from the Bible . . . he seemed much like a disciple . . . sitting on our milkbox . . . mostly drunk and sad.
Sitting on our milkbox . . . mostly drunk and sad.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
One June day I waited . . . mostly four hours or more . . . waiting for his worn shoes to scuff on up.
A melon he might bring me . . . and hug me ‘til he’d wring me . . . and his eyes would squint up in a big ole grin.
And his blue eyes, they would squint up in a big ole grin.
But I waited . . . yes, and all that day I waited . . . watching flies feast on the rinds in the garbage cans . . .
And mom came home . . . crying. And mom came home . . . crying. And mom came home . . . crying.
O, the Watermelon Man . . . the Lord took him to the Promised Land. You could tell where he was going by where he’d been.
Yes and the Watermelon Man . . . sitting singing in the Promised Land . . . Please bring me one more melon when you can.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
Just for this night . . . make me “empty” please . . . for from these “nothings” . . . new beginnings come.
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