Ballad of Billie Sol

Phil Ochs

[Verse 1]
Billie Sol was a man from the giant Texas land
He put the Chamber of Commerce on a limb
They voted him the best and the government did no less
'Til the I.O.U.'s of Texas fell on him

[Chorus]
Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

[Verse 2]
Oh, I remember when Bill had influential friends
He celebrated Christmas every day
He filled several Texas banks with his fertilizer tanks
Influential friends don't die they only fade away

[Chorus]
Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

[Verse 3]
The Democrats deny and Orville Freeman sighs
He said "Everyone around was fair and square"
But he was no more convincin' than Ezra Taft Benson
As resignations cropped up everywhere

[Chorus]
Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

[Verse 4]
And now I'd like to say that crime sure doesn't pay
But if you want to make some money on the sly
Well, you can always rent the U.S. government
It's the best one that money can buy

[Chorus]
Stand tall, Billie Sol, we don't know you at all
We've taken down your pictures from the wall
Well, we don't want to handle an agriculture scandal
We have got to face elections in the fall

Trivia about the song Ballad of Billie Sol by Phil Ochs

When was the song “Ballad of Billie Sol” released by Phil Ochs?
The song Ballad of Billie Sol was released in 1986, on the album “A Toast To Those Who Are Gone”.

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