Tony Papard wrote:Andrew McRae wrote:Dirk B. wrote:Nobody mentioned "No Headstone On My Grave" yet. The perfect song for a funeral...
Although JLL never sings the full lyrics of this song, I doubt that many widows would want this bitter death-bed plea to be played at their husband's funeral!
( Don't put no headstone on my grave, all my life I've been a slave; I don't want the world to know; here lies the man that loved you so
Don't send no flowers when I'm gone, just put me down and then move on; just put me down and let me be, free from all this misery..
Tell my mother not to cry, I'll see her in the bye-and-bye... tell her that I'm finally free, of all the trouble that you caused me.)
These words make more sense that the ones Jerry sings, though he salvages it by the 'I want a MONUMENT' quip at the end.
To be fair, (whether by design or simply through not being bothered to learn the lyric!) Jerry Lee completely changes the character and tone of the song. It could be argued that his version is not, as per Charlie's original appears to be, a downbeat expression of angst directed at an unappreciative woman, but something entirely different ..."I want the whole wide world to know, here lies the man who loved you (i.e the whole world) so" He asks 'momma' not to cry, because he will see her again 'in the sweet bye-and-bye', and asks her to tell 'daddy' (with whom he assumes she can communicate) that he's 'coming home'... meanwhile it's all a bit confusing in that, whilst he protests he, unlike Charlie, actually wants his grave to be identified, he claims he doesn't want a headstone - until, of course, all is made clear with the 'quip' at the end! Thus he is saying to the world, rather than to a single woman, "I've been your slave; I loved the lot of you; and to show your appreciation to me please build a monument when I've gone". So maybe this is just another example of the "I Can't Help It / You Can't Help It" syndrome!
Discuss! (as Wolfgang might say!)