Owen Stroud

well my ears perked up the other day
golden grandfather voice on the AM waves
he said I hope you like
this next song we’re gonna play
we wrote it back in 1939
and it’s just stuck around
well it’s still sticking around
like the ice that grinds my windshield wipers down
it’ll fill up the hole in the soul 
that you stood in the cold to clear away
just to lose it to the freezin’ rain
keep singing that refrain Sister Zella Mae

banjos and angels banjos and angels
I’ve got a long race back to the stables
sing over me one more time banjos and angels

my daddy always told me check the lights
fogs blinker brakes heads tails and halogen brights
having even one go out invites unnecessary trouble
the best drivers on the road are subtle
just look at ‘em go
they would never drive
with an arm out of an open window
scraping the rain away carefree
as they gamble with their life expectancy
but that would never be me
so keep singing it sweet Sister Zella Mae

banjos and angels banjos and angels
I’ve got a long race back to the stables
sing over me one more time banjos and angels

the signal fades with the glow of the sky
on this stark dark Ozark night
and old St. Louis just can’t quite extend his reach
well Brother Slim you’ve stuck around till now
you sure steered clear of the ground somehow
and with all this snow around 
you just might outlive me

well I was talkin to a fella from
this corner of the globe
he was driving with an Irish girl down the road
going to Oklahoma to show her his hometown
a long way from County Down
he said “I’m sorry this is all so dull
it ain’t nothing like Europe where it’s magical”
but Miss Fiona sat straight up in her seat
when she heard that voice and a three quarter beat
‘cause on 1170
she heard singin’ it sweet sister Zella Mae

banjos and angels banjos and angels
I’ve got a long race back to the stables
sing over me one more time banjos and angels

banjos and angels banjos and angels
I’ve got a long race back to the stables
sing over me one more time
sing over me one more time
sing over me one more time, banjos and angels