I was just fifteen when I first heard Him sing, on "Old Number One" as I recall I hung on every word he wrote From beer guts and dominos to the cowgirl Belle's of the Ball Turned around and I was thirty With kids and bills to pay, in the hurried pace of life's masquerade My soul searched for meaning My friend kept on singing, but his words and his songs began to fade Here's a song for a friend, a friend I never met He taught me things; I won't soon forget He's an old desperado who finally caught his train We shared the truth, a drink and our pain Here and now, I'm pushin' sixty The scales of youth torn from weary eyes His songs have aged with deeper meaning and He's gone on now with Townes to live and fly Here's a song for a friend, a friend I never met He taught me things; I won't soon forget He's an old desperado who finally caught his train We shared the truth, a drink and our pain This old friend there to catch me; he caught me when I fell So, for now, goodbye and fare thee well