Luyện nghe bài hát The Face On The Barroom Floor

Recorded by Hank
Author - Hugh Antoine

'Twas a summer evening and a goodly crowd was there
well-nigh filled Joe's barroom on the corner of the square
And as songs and witty stories came the open door
A crept slowly in and posed upon the floor.
"Where did it come from?" Someone said. "The has blown it in?"
"What does it want?" cried, "Some whiskey, rum or gin?"
"Here, Toby, seek him, if your equal to the work!"
"I wouldn't him with a fork, why, he's as filthy as a Turk."
This badinage the poor wretch took with good grace
In fact, he smiled as though he thought struck the proper place
"Come, boys, I know there's kindly hearts among so good a
Why, to be in good company would make a deacon proud."
"Give me a - that's what I want - I'm out of funds, you know
When I had cash to treat the gang, this hand was slow
What? You laugh as tho' you thought pocket never held a sou
Why, I was fixed as well, my boys, as of you."
"There, thanks - that's me nicely - God bless you one and all
Next time I pass this good saloon, I'll make another
you a song? No, I can't do that - my singing days are past
My voice is cracked and my throat's worn out and my lungs are fast.
"Say, Give me another whiskey and tell you what I'll do
I'll you a funny story and a fact I promise, too
That I was ever a decent man, not a one of you would
But, I was some four of five years back - say, us another drink.
"Fill her up, Joe, I want to put some life my frame
Such little drinks, to a bum me, are miserably tame
fingers - there, that's the scheme - and corkin' whisky, too
Well, here's luck, boys; and landlord, my regards to you.
"You've treated me pretty kindly and I'd to tell you how
I to be the dirty sot you see before you now
As I told you once, I was a man a muscle, frame and health
And, but for a blunder, to have made considerable wealth.
"I was a painter - not one that on bricks and wood
But an artist and for my age, was pretty good
I worked at my canvas and I was bidding fair to rise
'Coz gradually I saw the star of before my eyes.
"I made a perhaps you've seen, 'tis called the 'CHASE OF FAME'
It brought me fifteen hundred pounds and to my name
And then I met a - now comes the funny part
With that petrified my brain and sunk into my heart.
"Why don't you laugh? it's funny the vagabond you see
Could ever a woman and expect her love for me
But 'twas so, and for a month or two, her smiles were freely
And when her loving lips touched mine it me to heaven.
"Boys, did you ever see a for whom your soul you'd give
With a like the Milo Venus, too beautiful to live
With eyes like the purest of and a wealth of chestnut hair?
If so, 'twas she, for never was another half so fair.
"I was working on a portrait one in May
Of a fair-haired boy, a of mine, who lived across the way
And Madeline admired it and much to my
Said like to know the man that had such dreamy eyes.
"It take long to know him and before the month had flown
My friend had my darlin' and I was left alone
And ere a year of misery had above my head
The that I had treasured so, had tarnished and was dead.
"That's why I took to drink, - why, I never saw you smile
I thought you'd be amused and laughing all the
Why, what's the matter - friend? a teardrop in your eye
Come, laugh like me; why 'tis only and women that would cry.
"Say, boys, if you'd me just another whiskey, I'll really be glad
And I'll draw right here a of the face that drove me mad
me that piece of chalk with which you mark the baseball score
And you see the lovely Madeline upon the barroom floor."
Another drink and with chalk in the vagabond began
To sketch a face that well buy the soul of any man
And then as he placed another lock upon the head
With a fearful shriek, he and fell across the picture - dead.