Benjamin (Live On The Ed Sullivan Show, November 1, 1970)

Benjamin rode out of Montana

On a Palomino pony

He told me he was all alone

He lost his family in forty-nine

Benjamin took me to San Diego

Guess we caused quite a commotion

Selling Pacific ocean water

And callin' it seaweed wine

[Chorus]

Oh, I never had as good a friend as Benjamin

He loved to travel

He'd been ever' place I'd been and back again

That boy could unravel

Stories that would make your eyes

Big as blackberry pies, I'm tellin' you

Life could be fun for anyone

Who had a good friend like Benjamin

Had a good friend like Benjamin

Well, me and Ben thumbed a ride to Alabama

Spent the summer pickin' cotton

Now it was so doggone hot

We bought us a three-speed electric fan

Then at night we'd drink a Coca-Cola

Listen to the rain a'fallin'

Hearin' the bob white callin'

As though he'd know we'd understand

[Chorus]

Well, Ben and me spent some time in Oklahoma

Livin' on a reservation

Workin' at the service station

Pumpin' gas and passin' time

We caught a train down to Harlan County

Thinkin' we were awful lucky

Just to walk along a Kentucky back road

Without no reason nor rhyme

[Chorus]

Had a good friend like Benjamin