Me and Oliver and Virgil
Was in the drugstore killing time
When my eyes fell upon this magazine
And I got to reading this article
On sky-diving and parachuting
And it said jumping out of airplanes was the thing
Now being raised down on a farm
And always ready for adventure
I knew that I could figure out a way
I said "Well Delmer Gill's got a parachute
And Uncle Harvey's got an airplane"
So I said "Call the boys together, today's the day"
Well I found out too late
What uncle Harvey called an airplane
Was nothing but an engine and a wing
And I could feel my fear a-rising
As Delmer packed the parachute
Cause he kept telling me I was doing the right thing
Ron McLoughlin shook my hand
As JD strapped me in the harness
And Tildon brought a jug and passed it around
I took one look at that parachute
And that whisky and that airplane
And I turned that bottle up and drank it down
Well I was drunker then Cooter Jones
When they poured me in the plane
The engine coughed and headed for the clouds
But I was sober as a judge
By the time they opened up the door
And I've never known my heart to beat so loud
I said, "Harvey, I can't do it"
As he kicked me out the door
And I wrapped my hands around the landing gear
And I was holding on real good
Till Harvey stepped down on my fingers
And Virgil said he heard me scream from way down there
Well I thanked God and Delmer Gill
When my parachute finally opened
I said "Well, hell there ain't no use in being afraid"
And I went crashing through the hen house
Scattering chickens and breaking eggs
And I kissed the ground and fainted dead away
Now friends I've done some fighting
And I've been shot at once or twice
And I've durn near been run over by a train
But I don't think I remember
Being any more afraid
Than the day I jumped from uncle Harvey's plane