"Beethoven Was Before My Time" lyrics

One night while I was playin' at a place called The Big Still
This ole man came up and handed me a dollar bill
He said I've got a favorite song please play it if you can
It's by Jimmie Rogers, that ole singin' brakeman

Well I said I didn't know the song but he kept buggin' me
He said son are you sure cause it was big in '33
I said I'm sorry sir that was before I was around
Then that old man said somethin' that really put me down

Beethoven was before my time but I still like his songs
Don't you know a good thing just keeps on hangin' on
If people liked it way back then well it can't be all wrong
Beethoven was before my time but I still like his songs

Well years have come and gone since that old man passed my way
But I've contemplated on the words he had to say
Just last night I heard this man a singin' at a bar
I asked him for Hank Williams and dropped a dollar in his jar

But he said he didn't know the song that I asked him to do
I said son are you sure cause it was big in '52
He said man I'm sorry that was way before my time
And I couldn't help but think about that old man's salty line

Beethoven was before my time but I still like his songs
Don't you know a good thing just keeps on hangin' on
If people liked it way back then well it can't be all wrong
Beethoven was before my time but I still like his songs

Beethoven was before my time but I still like his songs