Lyrics:

I Was Once A Broken Man
i Was Once A Broken Fool
lost My Wife And Children
to One Basic Broken Rule
now I Live My Life In Silence
though I'm Not Quite In A Shell
i Drink And Listen To That Song
a Whiter Shade Of Pale
oh, A Whiter Shade Of Pale

i Was A Good Shade Tree Mechanic
so I Sent Myself To School
they Smoothed Out My Rough Edges
in My Hands They Put New Tools
the Instructor Once He Told Me
i Could Work On Any Line
i Could Tune And Make A Diesel Sing
just Like Patsy Cline
oh, Just Like Patsy Cline

well, I Met My Wife To Be
through My Mother's Best Friend Son
she'd Been A Barroom Singer
she Was As Good As Anyone
but I Asked Her To Stop Singing
and The Girl She Did Not Flinch

next Day She Went And Bought That Man
a Brand New Crescent Wrench
oh, A Brand New Crescent Wrench

well, We Had Three Fine Children
as Eight Years Went On By
i Learned To Supervise A Line
my Knuckles Stayed Bone Dry

but After Supper I Kept Hearing Her
by The Kitchen Radio
singing Sweet But Desperate Harmony
a Little Bit Too Low
oh, A Little Bit Too Low

she Left Three Months Later
i'd Just Come Home For Lunch
the Note Said Easy Come Hard Go
but Still Love You Much

she Said I Don't Know If I'll Be Back
or If You'll Want Me If I Come
but If And When That Happens, Dear
you Better Let My Sweet Dream Run
oh, Let My Sweet Dream Run

i Was A Good Shade Tree Mechanic
so I Sent Myself To School
they Smoothed Out My Rough Edges
in My Hands They Put New Tools
the Instructor Once He Told Me
i Could Work On Any Line
but Now A Diesel Ain't The Only Thing
can Sing Like Patsy Cline
oh, Can Sing Like Patsy Cline

i Was Once A Broken Man
i Was Once A Broken Fool
lost My Wife And Children
to One Basic Broken Rule
now I Live My Life In Silence
though I'm Not Quite In A Shell
i Drink And Listen To That Song
a Whiter Shade Of Pale
oh, A Whiter Shade Of Pale