That Was the Way It Was Then

There's cowboys that still sit with their backs to the wall
Does a drifter still hear the high winds when they call
Do the hobo's still eat pork and beans in a tin
Does a sailor still cast his precious faith to the wind

Are the villains in black hats, still I see hero's in white
Are the sock hops rocking and rolling Saturday nights
Would a forty-nine Mercury would it still be out of sight
That was the way it was then

Ever night my loving honey I was James Dean
Slow walking, soft talking, silently me
Surely the rebel and me lives again
All for the cause you'll be all caught up in

Well it's a quarter till ten honey, ole killer's lying here in bed
Spinning those old records memories lingering in my head
You know the times were so good I remember songs so sad
For the game I used to play it ain't good, it ain't bad

There's a woman I remember by the way what was her name
We made love, we made love in one hell of a rain
Baby ten minutes how time flew back then
It will never be that way again

Never be that way again
Elvis Presley, James Dean, ole rocking Jerry Lee