Tom Ames’ Prayer Robert Earl Keen

Everyone in Nacogdoches knew Tom Ames would come to some bad end
Well the sheriff had cought him stealin' chickens and such
By the time that he was ten
And one day his daddy took a ten dollar bill
And he tucked it in his hand
He said I can tell you're headed for trouble son
And your momma wouldn't understand

So he took that money and his brothers old bay
And he left without a word of thanks
Fell in with a crowd in some border town
And took to robbin' banks

Outside the law your luck will run out fast
And a few years came and went
'Till he's trapped in an alley in Abilene
With all but four shells spent

And he realized prayin' was the only thing
That he hadn't ever tried
Well he wasn't sure he knew quite how
But he looked up to the sky

Said you don't owe me nothin' and as far as I know
Lord don't owe nothin' to you
And I ain't askin' for a miracle Lord
Just a little bit of luck will do