Reuben James Reuben James In my song you live again And the phrases that I rhyme Are just the footsteps out of time From the time when I knew you Reuben James Reuben James, all the folks around Madison County Cussed your name You're just a no-account, sharecropping colored man Who'd steal anything he can And everybody laid the blame on Reuben James Reuben James, for you still walk the furthest field of my mind Faded shirt, your weathered brow Your caloused hands upon the plow I loved you then and I love you now, Reuben James Flora Grey, the gossip of Madison County died with child And although your skin was black You were the one that didn't turn your back On the hungry white child with no name Reuben James Reuben James, with your mind on the soul And a bottle in your right hand You said turn the other cheek For there's a better world awaiting for the meek In my mind these words remain from Reuben James Reuben James one dark cloudy day they brought you from the field Until your lonely pinebox came or Unto your lonely pinebox came Just a preacher of me in the rain Just to sing one last refrain for Reuben James