Barbed Wire Halo

Well God bless Texas

And Deacon Shackelford

He read the Bible seven times

And he believed every word

That old beat up leather book

Had been through it all

He sat on the back pew

So he could chew him a chaw

Singin' amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

He carried candy for the kids

In his Sunday dress coat

He'd take me fishin' after church

And taught me things I needed to know

No, deacon didn't have a family

Lord knows he wished he did

He told the whole congregation

That I was his grandkid

And today he joined up with Jesus

Wearin' shiny pearl snaps

We sang a few gospel hymns

And then the soldier played taps

I bet he's walkin' with Pete down a street paved with gold

Showin' off his brand-spankin' new wings

And his barbed wire halo

He married sweet Emma Grace

Before the war was through

She held his right arm next to his anchor tattoo

He was on a ship off at sea

When she died in childbirth

He lost his whole world

From the far side of the earth

He lost the will to love

He lost the will to live

Until he met a man who taught him to forgive

Yeah, life took him to hell band back

To hell and back a time or two

But in the end he beat the devil

Until he was black and blue

Singin' I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind, but now I see

And today he joined up with Jesus

Wearin' shiny pearl snaps

We sang a few gospel hymns

And then the soldier played taps

I bet he's walkin' with Pete down a street paved with gold

Showin' off his brand-spankin' new wings

And his barbed wire halo

Before he went he made me promise him that I wouldn't cry

And though I told him that I wouldn't

You know I couldn't help but lie

'Cause today he joined up with Jesus

Wearin' shiny pearl snaps

We sang a few gospel hymns

And then the soldier played taps

I bet he's walkin' with Pete down a street paved with gold

Yeah sure as the old church bell still rings

He always said he had country and soul

He's showin' off his brand-spankin' new wings

And his barbed wire halo

Sweet chariot, comin' forth to carry me home

Swing low sweet chariot, comin' forth to carry me home