Man Who Picked The Wildwood Flower
By Merle Haggard
Written by Tommy Collins
Album: Let Me Tell You About A Song (1972)
Tabbed By Larry Mofle
5/15/2016

Capo 5


(Spoken)
Let me tell you about a song
That was brought to me by a good friend of mine who's a good songwriter
And everytime he brings me a song I'm always willing to listen
But the story and the reasons for writing this song Were even more 
interesting to me than the song. The old friend and fella I'm speaking 
of is Tommy Collins. Tommy told me about an experience he had when he 
was a minister where he was called to preach a funeral for a man with 
no identity. Tommy said he never forgot the way he felt - Like here is 
a human being who someone must have loved at sometime and yet there was
no one present to pay respect. Just a couple of grave diggers, a funeral 
man and Tommy. Then the story switched to another thought bout during his
last visit to Nashville. He went down to listen to an ole street singer
That he always made a point to go hear each time he was in town and it 
was then that Tommy discovered that Jack Dupree, the ole street singer,
had passed away and Tommy said he wondered how many were present at 
Jack's funeral and it was these two true to life incidents that inspired
this song

  G             D                            G
I only saw five people when they buried Jack Dupree
    G               D                            G
Two diggers and the preacher the funeral man and me
    G                     C                  G 
The pray was said and the hole was filled in less than half an hour
      G                                  D                   G
And I said goodbye to the little man who picked the wildwood flower


For twenty years I'd seen him on the lower Nashville streets
They said he always earned enough to buy his clothes and eats
He'd stop awhile and check his watch with the big clock on the tower
That's when I asked him once if he could pick the wildwood flower

He always drew a crowd because he put on such a show
He'd dance and sing and play and smile just like a polished pro
And every time he saw me standin' in the crowd
I knew the tune that he'd play next would be the wildwood flower

I told him once that he could be what people call a star
And he said why boy I'm happy how many of them folks are
I'd hate to have to force a smile and feel myself turn sour
There ain't no put on in my face when I pick the wildwood flower

Key change to A

       A              E                       A 
Then I saw a thousand people as they begin to come
A                E                          A 
Business men and opry stars party girls and bums
    A              D                A   
And on that little mound of clay bouquets begin to shower
        A                                  E                   A
As they paid respect to the little man who picked the wildwood flower