Young Timmy was born in a house, not a home
He was raised by his auntie and the Reverend Jerome
They took in his Ma on the night that she died
And the last thing she heard was a baby's first cry
Now the Reverend Jerome had the Lord in his home
And so he liked to beat the devil from young Timmy's bones
Cause he never gave thanks, only prayer-meetin' pranks
He was too much like his father, that gambler from the plains
And with the dollars from hell that he's earnin'
It's a shame what the kid here is learnin'
Now Stella was fair, and her long golden hair
Was often mentioned in sermons Jerome would prepare
And her brothers would cuss after drinkin' too much
And they'd wave their guns at Heaven and shoot 'em in the air
With the thunder of gun powder burnin'
It's a shame what the kid here is learnin'
Now the reverend knelt down when the dance came to town
And the boy and his Stella were not to be found
He went to pacin' the floor, glarin' hard at the door
Thou shalt not love a harlot, it's a sin before the Lord
With her teasin' and leavin' him yearnin'
It's a shame what the kid here is learnin'
It's a shame what the kid here is learnin'