Lyrics:

1988
Writer: David Bellamy, Don Schlitz

There's a birth certificate that says his eyes are blue
And a permenant record from the public schools
A title to the first car he ever bought
And a document that says, 'He proudly fought.'

A lisence that gave him permission to marry
And a sad one that says she was legally buried
A listing of the taxes he just couldn't pay
Before the bank took the farm away

You can find Sam in the morning sun
Wittling and talkin' to most anyone
Down at the courthouse

Old green bench that he calls his own
Closest thing he's got left to a home
Down at the courthouse

He says, 'These people know when I was born
There's a copy of the deed to a family farm
It proves that my daddy really married ma
Its all written down at the courthouse

There's a statue of a soldier from the Civil War
Ol' Sam swears it was his great grandpa
Down at the courthouse

He says he died in 1892
But he never forgave them boys in blue
Down at the courthouse

He says, 'They got records of our history.
The contributions of my family
That proves that I'm not another nobody
Just hangin around.'

At the courthouse, they got books that are covered with dust
To remind us of the way that it was
And a sign that says, 'In God, we trust.'
And even if you don't, you can look it up
Down at the courthouse

You can find Sam in the setting sun
Same place he was when the day had begun
Down at the courthouse

SIttin' around talkin' to the ghost of the past
That's the only loved ones that he has
At the courthouse

He gets a feelin' of security
His own little piece of imortality
He knows when his body sets his spirit free
Someone will write it down

At the courthouse, they got books that are covered with dust
To remind us of the way that it was
And a sign that says, 'In God, we trust.'
Its slightly rusted and you can always look ol' Sam up
Down at the courthouse
Down at the courthouse