Chet Atkins' Hand
Words and Music by
Lew DeWitt
Thank you Les Paul, thank you Django, Thank you Merle,
Are you aware of one great gift you gave the world?
Beyond the craft your hands created on your frets
You had a hand in moldin' loves of Chet's.
You set that bashful boy from Knoxville all aglow,
Each time he heard you pickin' on the radio,
And even though it's God alone who made the man
It took guys like you to mold Chet Atkins' hands
Those hands that shook with fear like any normal hands,
Played smooth and sweet the night he opened at the strand.
Those unique hands that started life out splittin' rails,
Who'd a thought they'd one day fret from splittin' nails.
And who'd a thought that bashful boy form Tennessee,
Would one day win the hand of Grand Old Op'ry.
And who'd a thought that Nashville sound would soon expand,
From the love and guidance of Chet Atkins' hand.
The road to Nashville wasn't paved with iv'ry keys,
Espec'ly for and awkward boy still in his teens,
At times he had no one to tell his troubles to,
And no sunshine in the land of Sunshine Sue.
He played for money and for marbles and for chow,
He tried to sing, but Lord the kid could hardly talk.
But he spoke a language all could understand,
Though they will translate it through, Chet Atkins' hand.
Joy is an unemployed picker gettin' hired
And grief when that picker's always gettin' fired,
When he's workin' job to job and band to band,
And labeled 'cause he's always gettin' canned,
But ev'ry body knows it's grief as well as joy,
That helps to mold terrific men form simple boys.
And ev'ry body knows he's one terrific man,
Who head and toe and through Chet Atkins' hands.
So thank you Maybelle, thank you Knoxville, thank you Lord,
And thanks to who it was that showed Chet his first chord,
He's come a million miles since Knoxville and the Strand,
I'd go a million miles to shake Chet Atkins' hand.
I'd go a million miles to shake Chet Atkins' hand.
© Copyright 1980 and 1983 American Cowboy Music Company