lucille

Kenny Rogers had his first number one with this weepy country classic about an unfaithful wife and the other man's crisis of conscience. 'Lucille' was written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum. Bynum began writing the song about his own troubled marriage and Bowling helped him finish it after witnessing a couple arguing at a bus terminal in Toledo. 'Lucille' became the first of twenty number one country hits for Rogers and topped charts in twelve countries, selling over five million copies. It won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance and the Country Music Association award for Single Of The Year.

In a bar in Toledo,across from the depot,

On a barstool she took off her ring.

I thought I'd get closer

So I walked on over.

I sat down and asked her her name.

When the drinks finally hit her,

She said,"I'm no quitter,

But I finally quit living on dreams.

I'm hungry for laughter,

Here ever after

I'm after whatever the other life brings."

In the mirror I saw him,

And I closely watched him.

I thought how he looked out of place.

He came to the woman

Who sat there beside me.

He had a strange look on his face.

The big hands were calloused,

He looked like a mountain,

For a minute I thought I was dead.

But he started shaking,

His big heart was breaking,

He turned to the woman and said,

"You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille

With four hungry children and a crop in the field.

I've had some bad times,

Lived through some sad times,

This time the hurtin' won't heal.

You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille."

After he left us, I ordered more whiskey.

I thought how she'd made him look small.

From the lights of the barroom to the rented hotel room

We walked without talking at all.

She was a beauty, but when she came to me

She must have thought I'd lost my mind.

I couldn't hold her, for the words that he told her

Kept comin' back time after time:

"You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille

With four hungry children and a crop in the field.

I've had some bad times,

Lived through some sad times,

This time the hurtin' won't heal.

You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille."