The tenderness of love's embrace Can sometimes leave a lonely taste Bobby Joe is jumping on a Western Union train
The sun is high but Bobby's low His bags were packed so long ago He's just a shadow of a man with nothing left to lose
So gather round and I will tell a story sad and true About a man called Bobby Joe A man that I once knew
I told you how he acted tough Played the fool and lost his love While he was a-jumping on that Western Union train Woo Woo Woo Woo
Without a home or family In a travelling theatre company I still recall that sunny day the circus came to town
The whole town came to see the show Folks all laughed at Bobby Joe He tried to be an acrobat but always played the clown
He met a girl called Mary Lou I saw them hand in hand Her father was the sheriff though and didn't understand
And then the circus had to leave And Bobby said please wait for me I'll come back with some money and we'll buy a plot of land
Now circus life does not pay much And Bobby lost his gambling touch The promises to Mary Lou still echoed in his head He robbed and stole in every town They never did suspect the clown Until one day he went too far and left a man for dead
But in his hideout in the woods he thought of Mary Lou And in his mind he made a plan of things he had to do He got to see her right away So many things he got to say The need to know if she could ever love a wanted man
That night he rode to Mary's place He hoped to see a friendly face But Sheriff Graves was waiting with a gun and several men They all took aim but no-one knew That at that moment Mary Lou Would come out of the shadows and run to her Bobby's arms But Mary never got there as a single shot was fired A bullet meant for Bobby meant that Mary's life expired
But through his grief he fired his gun Until he was the only one alive with just a memory Now bloodstained with revenge
So gather round and I will tell a story sad and true About a man called Bobby Joe A man that I once knew
The tenderness of love's embrace Can sometimes leave a lonely taste Bobby Joe is jumping on a Western Union train Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo