These Old Bones

"These old bones will tell your story

These old bones will never lie

These old bones will tell you surely

What you can't see with your eye

These old bones, I shake and rattle

These old bones, I toss and roll

And it's all in where they scatter

Tells you what the future holds"

Oh, she lived up on the mountain

11 miles or so from town

With a one-eyed cat named Wink

A billy goat and a blue tick hound

Her graying hair was braided

And wrapped around her head

And her dress was long and faded

And her home a rusty shed

In a little pouch of burlap

Tied with a piece of twine

There were bones all shapes and sizes

Gathered through the course of time

She'd throw them out before you

She swore that she could see

The present, past, and future

She could read your destiny

Everybody knew about her

Came to get their fortune read

Concerning health and wealth and power

Who to love and when to wed

"Well, I just like helping people

I'm just glad that I could help

Well, I know everybody's secrets

But I keep it to myself"

"These old bones will tell your story

These old bones will never lie

These old bones will tell you surely

What you can't see with your eye

These old bones, I shake and rattle

These old bones, I toss and roll

And it's all in where they scatter

Tells you what the future holds"

Some called her a witchy woman

Some said she was insane

Some said she was a prophet

Still everybody came

"Just because a body's different

Well, that don't make them mad

Well, they've crucified a many

For the special gifts they've had"

I had often heard about her

Dreamed about her now and then

For I, too, was clairvoyant

Came about when I was ten

I was fascinated with her

And the things I'd heard about

And I knew some day I'd meet her

And one day it came about

"Well, I knowed that you's a-comin'

I could feel it in my bones

These old bones have also told me

That I won't be here for long

Did you know that you got adopted?

Did you know you once't was mine?

But the county took you from me

Said I wasn't right in mind"

"But I just knowed I had to see you

'Fore these bones was laid to rest

So I conjured up a message

It musta worked, I guess

This gift runs in the family

I know you also know

And I passed this gift on to you

These old bones, they're just for show"

"These old bones will tell your story

These old bones will never lie

These old bones will tell you surely

How to livin', when you'll die

These old bones, I shake and rattle

These old bones, I toss and roll

And it's all in where they scatter

Tells you what the future holds"

I held her hand while she was dying

And with the funeral through

I headed on back up the mountain

For Billy, Wink and Blue

And that little pouch of burlap

With those bones so worn and old

She gave me something special

Now every time I throw

"These old bones will tell your story

These old bones will never lie

These old bones will tell you surely

What you can't see with your eye

These old bones, I shake and rattle

These old bones, I toss and roll

And it's all in where they scatter

Tells you what the future holds"

"Now I can't tell you what you want to hear (these old bones)

I just tell you what I see (these old bones)

It's these old bones talking (these old bones)

Blame it on them; don't pack it on me (these old bones)

It's just like that time that there boy died (these old bones)

Up at the sawmill (these old bones)

Well, I know'd who done it, but I never said (these old bones)

And I know'd when somebody is a cheating (these old bones)

Or when somebody's baby was going to be born dead (these old bones)

But unless somebody just plain out and asked me (these old bones)

Well, I just figured there is no point (these old bones)

Going around acting like you know everything (these old bones)

Just because you might (these old bones)

Ah, you know girl I want you to take these bones (these old bones)

Because I don't want no young of mine going around unprepared (these old bones)

You just remember that the magic is inside you (these old bones)

There ain't no crystal ball" (these old bones)