Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues

Tiger Tom Dixon had a gift from God He could hit you quick, he could hit you hard In a world where a man's hands are put to the test Tiger Tom Dixon's hands were the best Men came from Boston, from Ohio Corners of counties that you'll never know From barrooms and poolhalls with nothing to show Except for the fists that they did throw at Tiger Tom Dixon Tiger Tom Dixon He'd step into the ring, gloves tied on tight After humbling a man Tom would tie one on in spite Kick back into a whiskey like it was an easy chair Drink to anything that the devil may care Now Tom held the future in his right fist But there was no good time Tom Dixon could resist No neon in New England he hadn't passed out under No white lightning that hadn't felt his thunder Chorus Tougher than leather and quick as a cat Till a young man one day is no longer that And the dreams of those around him sink to the quick When he slows just enough for them to figure the trick Come a day in December the steely winds did blow Into the ring a man Tom Dixon did know It was himself without the bottle, and the dream held fast He took Tom's dream with him and he never looked back Tom rolled around that bottle for a couple of years Till he was put in the ground by his own fears Now all that is left is the story I have told And the dream that still waits to unfold for Tiger Tom Dixon Chorus