it was the time of the preacher when the story began
of the choice of a lady
the love of a man
how he loved her so dearly
he went out of his mind
when she left him for someone she'd left behind
and he cried like a baby
he screamed like a panther in the middle of the night
and he saddled his pony
and he went for a ride
it was the time of the preacher in the year of '01
now the preaching is over and the lesson's begun