OLD TIGE
Jim Reeves
(Recorded 21 March 1961)
(Chorus)
Tige, you were faithful, faithful to the end;
Tige, how I miss you - you were my best friend...
(Spoken)
Three years of Army service done,
and I was heading home, at last.
I got to thinking about my dog,
and things long gone and past.
How old Tige pulled me from the creek,
when I had no pulse or breath;
And how he had saved me from the charging bull
that gored my Dad to death...

As a kid, I'd dream of bears,
and tremble to my toes -
Till Old Tige would come up to my bed
and nudge me with his nose...
And then my fears would melt away,
and Tige would go lie down,
And I'd drift on back to sleep, without another sound...
The big bus stopped and I got off,
it was awful dark and thick with fog,
Then something gently nuzzled me,
and, there stood Tige - my dog!
I wondered if my faithful dog
had met the bus, each day,
and all the dreary winter nights
since I had been away.
To have Old Tige meet me here like this,
I was...I was really glad
‘Cause I hadn't needed Tige so much,
since the day they buried Dad.
Two long miles still lay ahead,
but what I didn't know:
A giant dam was being built
where the old road used to go.

I thanked the Lord for sending Tige,
and I followed where he led,
knowing well without his help,
that I'd be good as dead...
Tige inched along this way and that,
the going rough and slow,
And I could hear the water lapping
at the ledges, far below....
Then through the mist I saw a light,
and Mother in her chair,
And I reached down to pat Old Tige,
but - he wasn't there!
I'm thankful, Mom, you had Old Tige,
these three lonely years -
I owe my life to him tonight...
I couldn't help my tears...

You say you wrote me about the dam?
Well, God was sure with us:
I didn't get your letter, Mom,
but Old Tige met the bus.
I hate to tell you, Son, she said,
but now you've got to know -
when you left, it broke his heart:
Tige died, three years ago.
 
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