Well, I was passing by a pawn shop
In an older part of town
Something caught my eye

And I stopped and turned around

I stepped inside and there I spied

In the middle of it all
Was a beat up old guitar
Hanging on the wall


"What do you want for that piece of junk?"
I asked the old man

He just smiled and took it down
And he put it in my hand


He said, "You tell me what it's worth
You're the one who wants it"
Tune it up, play a song

And let's just see what haunts it

So, I hit a couple of chords

In my old country way of strumming
And then my fingers turned to lightning
Man, I never heard it coming


It was like I always knew it
I just don't know where I learned it

It wasn't nothin' but the truth
So I just reared back and burned it


Well, I lost all track of time
There was nothing I couldn't pick
Up and down the neck

I never missed a lick

The guitar almost played itself

There was nothing I could do
It was getting hard to tell
Just who was playing who


When I finally put it down
I couldn't catch my breath

My hands were shaking
And I was scared to death


The old man finally got up
Said, "Where in the hell you been?
I've been waiting all these years

For you to stumble in"

Then he took down an old dusty case

Said, " Go on and pack it up
You don't owe me nothing"
And then he said, "Good luck"


There was something spooky in his voice
And something strange on his face

When he shut the lid
I saw my name was on the case