Tom T. Hall – Little Brown Suitcase

A little brown suitcase at the top of the stairs

Not much to start with and worse for the wear

Mama said Virgil let’s thow that away he said no it might come in handy some day

Well first there was Billy Joe then there was Jack

They took that old suitcase but all brought it back

Now some went a ridin’ and some had to walk

But Lord if that little brown suitcase could talk

Well my brother Quentin the one with a smile

He took that old suitcase and he went to Ohio

And he brought it back on Christmas full of toys and things

And some Bill Monroe records that I soon learned to sing

Well that was the year of 57 and the month of July

When I took that old suitcase and I joined the GI’s

I followed the pattern set down by the rest

On the inside of the cover I wrote my address

Well my folks are passed on now I don’t know where it’s at

You know Betty might know cause she keeps things like that

And when dad gets to heaven mom won’t be alarmed

If he got that old suitcase tucked under his arms