Tom T. Hall - Shoeshine Man

Vocals: Tom T. Hall,
Songwriter: Tom T. Hall,
Album: Homecoming,
Originally Published: 1969 - Mercury Records,

Lyrics:

Well I met the man in Montgomery, Alabama
I was waitin' on a bus and he was shinin' shoes and I heard him say...

I'm a shoeshine man, number one in the land
A shoeshine man, make you shine where you stand
Leave me a tip if you can, I'm a shoeshine man

Well I can sing I can dance I can play the harmonica too
I got a brand new thing called the South Side Montgomery Blues
You better stick around and watch me 'cause I'm an entertainin' fool

I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land
A shoeshine man, make you shine where you stand
Leave me a tip if you can, I'm a shoeshine man

Well I learned my trade from that rag-poppin' daddy of mine
He shined a pair of alligators, made a hundred dollar bill one time
And when that meat gets scarce I shine two or three pair for a dime

I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land
A shoeshine man, make you shine where you stand
Leave me a tip if you can, I'm a shoeshine man

I had a girl that helped me, she had a lotta hoochy coochy ways
She was bumpin' and grindin', paid that girl a dollar a day
But she was shy on age and the law come and took her away

I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land
A shoeshine man, make you shine where you stand
Leave me a tip if you can, I'm a shoeshine man

[claymarston]

THE INCOMPARABLE TOM T. HALL SADLY DEPARTED THE SCENE AT THE AGE OF 85 ON FRIDAY 20 AUGUST 2021 NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN AND REMEMBERED MOST FONDLY FOREVER BY ALL OF THOSE WHO EVER KNEW HIM, MET HIM OR SAW HIM PLAY LIVE - THANKS FOR EVERYTHING TOM - WE WILL REMEMBER. = REMEMBRANCE =.

[billwhite]

Tom T, don't get the credit he deserves. What a songwriter.

[TheresaRichard]

My daddy loved Tom T and he taught me to love Tom T too

[richard]

This song is so integral to one of my favorite memories with my family as a child....pops had this on 8 track and had it playing in our dodge travco motorhome driving from Mass to Maine for Thanksgiving. Revisiting it over 45 years later it's no surprise because it's a phenomenal song.

[rose]

I used to sing this song to my little girls and rock them. they loved it. I thought they had forgotten all about it. Then last night on FB, my daughter put this song on her page, saying it made her think of her mom! I love Tom T Hall

[glennsmythe]

Tom T Hall is a genius storyteller very few will be able to compete with him

[Kenny]

My grandparents lived in Hoquiam, Washington, on the Pacific Coast. As a child, I lived with my parents in Colorado, but we drove to Washington every summer to visit. My Dad's folks had a big, lime '70's green 1972 Mercury Marquis with a Ford Factory 8-track player. I loved to hear this song on that 8-track when I was four years old! So much, in fact, that the very first thing I asked Grandma for when we pulled into the driveway a whole year later was to hear "Shoeshine Man" in the Mercury!

[Burtschevy]

one of the absolute best songwriters ever bar none

[Dermot]

Only recently discovered the music of Tom T Hall and what a discovery it was.He was an excellent story teller and i'm wondering did he get the credit that he deserved.Thank you Mr Hall.🎸🎵🎶

[briang]

My grand dad and I use to listen to Tom T. Hall on his 8-track all the time when I was young. Real country!

[kanddjones]

I'm 34 yrs old, when I was little, I had this 45. I bet you I wore this thing out!

[gailcallihan]

Tom t hall from Olive hill ky I'm proud to say I'm from Olive hill also Tom t is the best song writer of all time

[thee_ole_v]

I'm 25 rn and couldn't listen to anything else but buck owens tom t hall jhonny paycheck Waylon hank jr and hank 1, George jones. List goes on real country music

[sammybarlowman]

A regular song on my setlist in the 70's. We played all over Kentucky and then back to Northern Indiana.

[billallmon]

He shined shoes at the whitly motel barber shop i was six years old he was so funny im an old man now and this song takes me back to the barber shop

[jacksible]

He was a great country singer and I will be miss dearly

[Burtonsplace]

Great song, one of my favorites. In my opinion Mr. Hall has wrote some of the best songs out there, some of the songs were sung by George Jones, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and even Alan Jackson just to name a few.

[kennethgoin]

This song is the poster child for juke joint, boogie woogie! Did those grooves!

[ngzcaz]

Straight rock and roll three chord song, four if you put in the 7th.... Obviously Tom T didn't intend it to make it for the rock and roll audience.... great for jamming.

[donnamamma]

I love the story's in all Tom's song's! <3 this...donnamamma in Dayton, Ohio :)