Lyrics
VERSE 1
(The) first time I met Thomas Fouts
(Was at the) Fleet Farm out on Shank
(He) saw my bass, shook my hand
(And said “Are) you a friend of Hank?
“(I) front the Last Chance Country Band
(And we) need your four strings, boy”
(They) practiced in a double-wide
(Near De)catur, Illinois
CHORUS 1
(He played an) Epiphone Les Paul
Black with chrome and all
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
(Hand)-tooling on his belt
(He played his) cards as they were dealt
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
VERSE 2
(He) knew his Merle, and he knew his Cash
(And he) played them true and well
(But) Marty Robbins was his man
(Sweet) tenor voice from hell
Friday night, the folks felt fine
(When) they came to the show
40-something women thrilled
(When) he got in the flow
CHORUS 2
(On his) head a Bullhide hat
(On his) neck an eighth note tat
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
(When) booking for the band
(He asked) a hundred bucks a man
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
VERSE 3
(He served) forward airborne in Iraq
(I) held his Silver Star
(Then) ran a string of carny rides
(And made) liquor by the jar
Said he had some Cherokee
(Big) Cabin in O. K.
(But he) can’t go back to Nowata
Why, he would not say
CHORUS 3
(When) someone threw a punch
(He’d) step right up in front
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
(He’d) leave them wanting more
(Then load) out the mains at four
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
VERSE 4
(The) last time I saw Thomas Fouts
(He was) packing up his truck
(The) double-wide was up for sale
(Not) having any luck
(He said I’m) going back to Oklahoma
(Looks) like I’m needed there
(And he) drove on out into the night
(A little) reefer in the air
CHORUS 4
Don’t know how he died
(Even) money, homicide
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
(It) never crossed my mind
(That he’d) be the dying kind
(Last) night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead
OUTRO
Last night I heard that Thomas Fouts was dead