The Kid from Spavinaw
Tom Russell Lyrics

I was born in Oklahoma, 1931
The singer was born in Oklahoma, USA in the year 1931

Outside the town of Spavinaw
The singer was born outside the town of Spavinaw in Oklahoma

Where the red dust clouds the sun
Spavinaw has red dust which creates a kind of foggy atmosphere blocking the sun

And I ran beneath your diamond skies
The artist ran under the beautiful night skies in Spavinaw which were full of stars (diamond skies)

And I drank your waves of grain
The artist enjoyed the fields of grain in Spavinaw

My name is Mickey Mantle, boys
The singer is Mickey Mantle

And baseball is my game
Mickey Mantle is a famous baseball player

My father's name was "Mutt", boy
The artist's father's name was "Mutt"

And he worked down in the mines
Mickey's father worked in mines

He pitched to me in the evening
Mickey's father pitched baseballs to him in the evenings

At least a thousand times
Mickey and his father practiced baseball at least a thousand times

A thousand times again, in my nightmare and my dreams
Mickey remembers practicing with his father often, even in his dreams and nightmares

You're going to live in the house that Ruth built, kid
Mickey's father wants him to become a famous baseball player and live in the Yankee Stadium where Babe Ruth played (the house that Ruth built)

You're going to make that Yankee team
Mickey's father wants him to play for the New York Yankees

Sure enough, the Yankee scout comes drivin',
A Yankee scout comes to see Mickey play

Right down route 66
The scout drives on Route 66 to get to Mickey's game

He'd have never come to Spavinaw class D ball in the sticks,
The scout wouldn't likely have come to Spavinaw to see a minor league ballgame

But I happened to be playing in an old wood ball park
Mickey was playing in an old wooden ballpark and caught the scout's attention

Way out on the mother road
The ballpark was located far from the major cities, out on Route 66 (also known as the mother road)

That Yankee scout he signed me and I went up to the the show
Yankee scout signed Mickey and he eventually played for the New York Yankees

Strike 1, that was the drinkin'
Mickey's drinking affected his career (Strike 1)

Strike 2, there go the knees
Mickey's knees got injured (Strike 2)

Then my old man died in Denver
Mickey's father passed away in Denver

Some type of lung disease
Mickey's father died of a lung disease

When God starts throwing change ups
Sometimes things change unexpectedly

You can't swing with fame or wealth
No amount of fame or wealth can prevent unexpected changes

If I'd known I's going to live this long
Mickey didn't expect to live this long

I'd have taken care of myself
Mickey would have taken better care of himself had he known he would live this long

I don't miss the lights of Times Square
Mickey doesn't miss the bright lights and attention of Times Square

I don't miss Toots Shore's bar
Mickey doesn't miss the social scene of Toots Shore's bar

I miss my old man pitchin' baseball
Mickey misses his father pitching baseball to him

Near the shed in our backyard
Mickey practiced with his father near the shed in their backyard

I wish that he were still alive
Mickey wishes his father were still alive to see his success as a baseball player

To see these trophies on my shelf
Mickey has won several trophies and wishes his father could see them

If I'd known I was going to live this long
Mickey once again expresses that he didn't expect to live this long

I'd have taken better care of myself
Mickey reiterates that he would have taken better care of himself had he known he would live for so many years