(Billy Ed Wheeler - Jed Peters)
He rode easy in the saddle
He was tall and lean
At first you thought nothing
But a streak of mean.
Could make a man look
So downright strong
But one look in his eyes and you know
That you was wrong.
He was a mountain of a man
And I want you to know
He could preach hot hell
Of freezin' snow.
He carried a bible
In a canvas sack
The folks just called him
The Reverend Mr. Black.
He was poor as a beggar
But he rode like a king
And sometimes in the evening
You could hear him sing.
I've gotta walk that lonesome valley
I've gotta walk it by myself
Oh, nobody else can make it for me
I've gotta walk it by myself.
If ever I could have
Through this man in black
Was sort or had
Any yellow up his back.
I gave that nation
Up the day
A lumberjack came in
And it want to pray.
And he kicked open
That meetin' house door
He cussed everybody
Up and down the floor.
Then when things get quiet
In the place
Walked up and cussed
In the preacher's face.
And he hit that reverend
Like the kick of a mule
To my way of thinking
It took a pure fool.
To turn the other cheek
To that lumberjack
But that's what he did
The Reverend Mr. Black.
Well, he stood like a rock
A man among men
And he let that lumberjack
Hit him again.
Then with a voice
As kind as could be
He cut him down
Like a big oak tree.
When he said, you've gotta walk that lonesome valley
You've gotta walk it by yourself
Oh, nobody else can make it for you
You've gotta walk it by yourself.
It's been many years since we had to part
And I guess I've learned his ways by heart
I can still hear his sermonts ring
Down in the valley where he used to sing.
I followed his yes sir and I don't regret it
And I hope that I can be of credit
To his memory for you understand
The Reverend Mr. Black was my old man.
You've gotta walk that lonesome valley
You've gotta walk it by yourself
Oh, nobody else can make it for you
You've gotta walk it by yourself...
