He was born in Tupelo Out on Old Saltillo Road He learned guitar from a preacher-man Country Blues from a Shake Rag band He was a Hillbilly Cat Hillbilly Cat A heart of gold and a voice to match That rock and rollin' Hillbilly Cat He'd go strollin' down on Beale He loved the way the music made him feel He flew so high when he looked down He could not even see the ground They came from miles around to hear him play He poured his heart and soul out on the stage Just another hard-luck kid God gave him a powerful gift When it came to crossin' lines Music made him color-blind! He was a Hillbilly Cat Hillbilly cat Too hip for white too white to be black Folks just called him the Hillbilly Cat Never be another one like that Rock and rollin' Hillbilly Cat