Lyrics

Ballad of the Robert E. Lee Motel
Clint Miller

I picked up a soggy man thumbin? through a rainstorm
The three of spades tucked in his hat was smeared and shot to hell
I said, ?Stranger say you owe me one and tell me where you?re bound for?
He said, ?Mister I would sure be obliged to go to the Robert E. Lee Motel?

Well my motor died three feet outside his chosen destination
He shrugged his shoulders, smiled at me, and bid me fare-the-well
But then he stopped just short of leavin?, and he said with hesitation:
?Hoss, I guess you might enjoy a night here at the Robert E. Lee Motel?

The room was dark and a pack of cards was laid out of the table
His eyes turned red and then he said, ?You can deal if you is able?
Two hours went by with the cards a-flyin? ? I wasn?t doin? well?
It was like suicide in room thirty-five, down at the Robert E. Lee Motel

Lady luck left fast ? she took my cash ? before I could reclaim her
Stranger said, ?Tough break. Let?s up the stakes,? and he reached down to his belt.
He pulled out a gun and he put in one lone bullet to that chamber
He looked me in the eyes, said, ?The loser dies, hoss, here at the Robert E. Lee Motel?

He spun the chamber round and it made a sound like footsteps in an alley
Then sin in his eyes said, ?If I die, we?ll meet again in hell.?
Then he pulled that trigger, full of vigor, like it was his grand finale
And it made me sick when I only heard a click, down at the Robert E. Lee Motel

He gave the gun to me and he said, ?Let?s see you take a chance like mine, or
I?ll shoot you down if you skip this round.? So I said I might as well.
And I still can hear the ringin? in my ear where the hammer hit that primer?
But the gun wasn?t pointed at my head ? now the stranger lay dead ?
down at the Robert E. Lee Motel

Now the room was dark and a pack of cards was laid out on the table
I was southbound and down soon as I had found a pair of jumper cables
The police came the very next day with sirens, whistles, and bells
Said it looked like suicide in room thirty-five, down at the Robert E. Lee Motel