It was a time of the preacher
when the story began
of the choice of a lady
and the love of a man
how he loved her so dearly
he went out of his mind
when she left him for someone
that she'd left behind
and he cried like a baby
and he screamed like a panther
in the middle of the night
and he saddled his pony
and he went for a ride
it was a time of the preacher
in the year of o-one
now the preachin' is over
and the lesson's begun
[ guitar ]