Porter & Marty (Men With Broken Hearts/I Heard That Lonesome Whistle) Songtext
von Porter Wagoner

Marty Stuart: "Hey Porter, did you ever see Hank Williams in person?"

Porter Wagoner: "I′ve seen him one time at the Opry
And one time in Des Moines, Iowa
That was the only two times I'd ever seen him, in my life."

Marty: "Were you on the Opry at the time
Or were you just a spectator?"

Porter: "No, I′d just come here
And he just happened to be on that night
It was his first time on the Opry,
I believe as a guest."

Marty: "Do you remember what he sang, by any chance?"

Porter: "Oh, Lord yeah, the Lovesick Blues.
Four times, I think he sung it. Four or five times."

Marty: "I love his words."

Porter: "Oh, I did too. You know, he just-.
He wrote things so simple. The words was-.
The way he put them together and things. They just-.
An old country boy right and you know, and I really loved that."


Marty: "Well, part of his whole picture that I liked a lot was
That Luke the Drifter stuff."

Porter: "Always good."

Marty: "And that's something I identified with you on
When I used to watch the ol' Porter Wagoner Show as your recitations.
One of the first ones I ever saw you do was
"Men With Broken Hearts", I believe."

Porter: "Oh that′s one of my very favorites."

Marty: "You remember the words to that?"

Porter: "I don′t know all the words to it. I don't remember ′em all.
But I recorded that because I loved the song. I loved it."

Marty: "You remember any portion of it?"

Porter: "Oh yeah. They-.

You've never walked in that man′s shoes
Saw things through his eyes
Or stood and watched with helpless hands
While the heart inside you dies
Some lose faith in love and life
When sorrow shoots her darts
And with hope all gone, they walk alone
These men with broken hearts


You have no right to be the judge
To criticize and condemn
Just think but for the grace of God
It'd be you instead of him
One careless step, a thoughtless deed
And then the misery starts
And to those who weep, death comes cheap
These men with broken hearts

Now you′ve never walked in that man's shoes
Or saw things through his eyes
And stood and watched with helpless hands
While the heart inside you dies
Some were paupers, and some were kings
Some were masters of the arts
But in their shame, they're all the same
These men with broken hearts"

Marty: "Well, alright, sir.
One of the songs that I′ve always been fond of too-
Actually, you recorded it as well.
I loved your record the "Soul of a Convict".

Porter: "Yep."

Marty: "And "I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow"."

Porter: "Oh yeah."

Marty: "I′ll give you five dollars."

Porter: "That was-"

Marty: "I'll give you five dollars to sing it.

Porter: "Well I′ll sure sing it-"

Marty: "Maybe ten."

Porter: "Well, I'll do it for you for nothin′."

Marty: "Well, alright."

Porter: "I was ridin' number nine
Headin′ south from Caroline
I heard that lonesome whistle blow
Got in trouble, had to roam
Left my gal and left my home
I heard that lonesome whistle blow

Just a kid actin' smart
Went and broke my darlin's heart
I guess I was too young to know
They took me off the Georgia Main
Locked me to a ball and chain
I heard that lonesome whistle blow

All alone, I bear the shame
Lord I′m a number, not a name
I heard that lonesome whistle blow
All I do is sit and cry
When that evenin′ train goes by
I heard that lonesome whistle blow

I'll be locked here in this cell
′Til my bodies just a shell
And my hair turns whiter than snow
I'll never see that gal of mine
Lord, I′m in Georgia doin' time
I heard that lonesome whistle blow"