Phil Ochs The Ballad of Billie Sol lyrics

Billie Sol was a man from the giant Texas land
He put the Chamber of Commerce on a limb
They voted him the best and the government did no less
Until the I.O.U.'s of Texas fell on him

Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

I remember when Bill had influential friends
He celebrated Christmas every day
He filled Texas banks with his fertilizer tanks
Influential friends don't die they only fade away

Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

The democrats deny and Orville Freeman sighs

He said, "Everyone around was fair and square"
But He was no more convincing than Ezra Taft Benson
As resignations cropped up everywhere

Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

And now I'd like to say that crime sure doesn't pay
But if you want to make some money on the sly
Well you can always rent the U.S. Government
It's the best one that money can buy

Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've take down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle and agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall