If you don't have your sound turned up on your computer, please do so. I'm playing a version of the Willie Nelson Christmas Classic, "Pretty Paper" this time sung by Kenny Chesney and Willie.
When our son, Nate, was small he liked to sleep listening to Willie's album of the same name. I have listened to it for many years myself and did not know the story behind it until today when I ran across it on CMT's web site. When Willie wrote this song, he was living in Fort Worth and the man in the song was a double amputee who hand both legs removed above the knee. he would scoot around on the sidewalks by his palms and stumps. He set outside Leonard's Department Store in Downtown Fort Worth selling pencils and paper calling out, "Pretty Paper".
Roy Orbison first found Willie's song in 1963 and made it a Classic. I must say I never paid enough attention to the words until today. When you listen to these words now, everything changes:
"Crowded streets busy feet hustle by you
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
Hoping that you won't pass him by
Should you stop better not much too busy
Better hurry, my, how time does fly
And in the distance the ringing of laughter
and in the midst of the laughter he cries
Pretty Paper, pretty ribbons of blue........"
Be thankful for all you have
Merry Christmas
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