I happened to walk into a honky-tonk one night down in New Orleans up above the bar hung a big guitar like none I'd ever seen the neck was set with diamonds and though the strings were old like kings of sound they wound around six keys of solid gold a man stepped up beside me his breath was strong with wine he said you know that guitar once belonged to a mighty close pal of mine he used to play it right here I forget the year around 45 I think I could tell you quite a story friend if you'd care to buy me a drink well-possessed by every weakness that makes a man a fool I bought around he drank it down and then he rocked back on his stool he said yeah I remember now it was 45 all right he had just returned from the Great War that's where he lost his sight his buddies gave him that guitar at the time it was simple and plain he added the gold and the diamonds as he played his way to fame he was doing a show in Shreveport the night he received the call to come up here on the Grand Ole Opry the greatest show of all I was driving him to Nashville it was cold misty rain the signals flashed and the whistle screamed I swear mister I never saw that train I heard the doctor tell him just after he'd used his knife you're lucky son it was just your arm it could have been your life but he died that night life just demanded more than he could give I think he could have made it he just lost his will to live but this world's loss is heaven's game and tonight he's still a star he plays with a band of angels that's my son's golden guitar