Big Jack O'Brien Lyrics

Had a kind heart and a strong back

The kind of man you can trust

That was Big Jack

Down in the piedmont of North Caroline

There lived a big man name of Jack O'Brien

He worked everyday and could eat a good meal

He believed everybody deserved a fair deal

He met a slim gal name of Mary Kate

And one day too soon she turned up late

They got hitched quick cause that's the thing to do

You don't ask questions you always aim true

They had three girls and he cherished them all

He'd drive them into town and take them to the mall

His wife was restless but he tried to ignore it

People got their ways and there ain't nothing for it

Then that first stranger come to town

He played the guitar with a soulful sound

Mary Kate caught his eye and the one thing led

To another and soon to a motel bed

Had a kind heart and a strong back

Kind of man you can trust

That was Big Jack

Loved his kids and his cheating wife too

He put food on the table and a roof overhead

What else is a man to do

They carried on until the stranger hit the road

And later on there was another and another

And another and another and another

That was the path that Mary Kate strode

And the girls moved out and got married up

And it was Jack and Mary Kate and all of their stuff

They didn't talk much, it was married life

You keep moving on, you don't ask twice

Had a kind heart and a strong back

Kind of man you can trust

That was Big Jack

Loved his kids and his cheating wife too

He put food on the table and a roof overhead

What else is a man to do

And they grew old as people tend to

And one day Big Jack he come down with the flu

It turned to pneumonia and just got worse

Jack filled a big coffin in a big black hearse

It was a nice service people like to say

They buried Big Jack on a sunny Tuesday

Mary Kate stood tall behind her black veil

Nobody could see if any tears fell

Had a kind heart and a strong back

Kind of man you can trust

That was Big Jack

Loved his kids and his cheating wife too

He put food on the table and a roof overhead

What else is a man to do

He put food on the table and a roof overhead

What else is a man to do