The Proudest Fiddle in the World (A Maiden’s Prayer)

[Intro - Spoken]
Merle titled this album Let Me Tell You About A Song, but right now let me tell you about a fiddle - one that was given to Merle out of kindness by the great Bob Wills

After leaving the Wills' home that day, Merle was so moved, he just sat and stared silently at the fiddle for a long time

Finally he said, "Wish this fiddle could talk."

Then he said, "On second thought, what if that fiddle that's in the Hall of Fame - the one he played on 'San Antonio Rose' could just talk? What a story it could tell."

And Merle said, "I think if I were that fiddle, this is what I'd say."

[Verse]
Who I am and what I was
I'm sure the whole world knows
Why, I'm the great Bob Wills fiddle
That played on "San Antonio Rose"
But I lay here now in the Hall of Fame
A showpiece that no one plays
And my tone that used to thrill the dancing crowds
Is gone with the good old days

I wish my strings could just talk
And tell the story to all the passing fans
Boy, I'd even like to rear back and play a breakdown
But I can't do it without the master's hands
Yeah I was part of something great and I know it
I even played on "The Old Brown Skin Girl"
Though my strings are old and dusty now
I'm still the proudest fiddle in the world