Rueben James, in my song you live again   And the phrase that I rhyme   Are just the footstep out of time   From the time when I knew you, Rueben James      Rueben James, all the folks around   Hadison County cussed your name   You're just a no count sharecropping colored man   You'd steal anything you can   And everybody laid the blame on Rueben James      Rueben James, for still walk over fields of my mind   Faded shirt, weathered brow   Call used hands upon the plow   Loved you then and I love you now, Rueben James      Flora Graves the gossiper of Hadison County   Died with child although your skin was black   You were the one that didn't turn your back   On the hungry white child with no name, Rueben James      Rueben James, with your mind on my soul   And a bible in your right hand, you said turn the other cheek   For there's a better world awaiting for the meek   In my mind these words remain from Rueben James      Rueben James, for still walk over fields of my mind   Faded shirt, weathered brow   Callused hands upon the plow   Loved you then and I love you now, Rueben James      Rueben James one dark cloudy day   They brought you from the field and to your lonely pine box   Came just a preacher, me and the rain   Just to sing one last refrain to Rueben James      Rueben James, for still walk over fields of my mind   Faded shirt, weathered brow   Callused hands upon the plow   Loved you then and I love you now Rueben James      Rueben James, for still walk over fields of my mind   Faded shirt, weathered brow   Callused hands upon the plow   Loved you then and I love you now Rueben James