A lot could be said about Burt and Sally, about Jackie Gleason's portrayal of the bulldog sheriff Buford T. Justice, or about that sweet Trans-Am. But I'm not going to say it. Rather, I want to reflect on Snowman, the unsung hero of the Trilogy. Not only could the character take a punch in a bar fight, but he traveled in a big rig with an amazing mural airbrushed across the trailer. He always had his bloodshot-eyed basset hound with him, and he even became the Bandit in part three. Forget Burt Reynolds – Jerry Reed was the glue that held the story together.
But even more important was the fact that Jerry Reed was a heck of a guitar player and songwriter. Anyone silly enough to say that they listen to "every type of music except country" has never had the fortune of listening to the Grammy winning gold of Reed.
We saw him once, long after his star had faded in the public eye. We were eating at this home cooking place in Nashville during a recording session when an old man busted through the front doors. At first, none off us recognized him. He was frail, obviously in poor health, and he was wearing one of those velour jump suits that seniors putt around in. But the second he walked in, we new he was somebody special. Some people just radiate, and he was no exception. He made it a point to make the rounds all over that restaurant, meeting fans and non-fans alike (by this point we had figured out who he was), shaking every hand in the place before he sat down to his meal. It was a brief encounter, but an amazing show of what celebrities of a bygone time were like as opposed to the well known flavors of the month we have now. Whether you knew him or not, you knew instantly that you were in the presence of someone magnetic. It's a quality you just don't see much of.
Reed passed away on Monday morning. Guitar players take note – he was one of the greats.
CNN Article
-Hogan
She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)
Written by: Jerry Reed
Performed by: Jerry Reed
Albums: The Bird-1982, Jerry Reed Live, Still-2005, et al.
Well, I guess it was back in '63,
When eatin' my cookin' got the better of me,
So I asked this little girl I was goin' with to be my wife.
Well, she said she would, so I said, 'I do'.
But I'da said, 'I wouldn't' if I'da just knew how sayin' 'I do'
Was gonna screw up all o' my life.
Well, the first few years weren't all that bad.
I'll never forget the good times we had,
'Cause I'm reminded every month when I send her the child support.
Well, it wasn't too long till the lust all died.
And I'll admit I wasn't too surprised,
The day I came home and found my suitcase sittin' out on the porch.
Well, I tried to get in, she changed the lock.
Then I found this note taped on the mailbox that said,
"Goodbye, turkey. My attorney will be in touch."
So I decided right then and there I was gonna do what's right
Give 'er her fair share but, brother,
I didn't know her share was gonna be that much.
She got the goldmine, (She got the goldmine,)
I got the shaft. (I got the shaft.)
They split it right down the middle,
And then they give her the better half.
Well, it all sounds sorta funny,
But it hurts too much to laugh.
She got the goldmine, I got the shaft.
Now listen up. You ain't heard nothin' yet.
Why, they give 'er the color televison set.
Then they give 'er the house, the kids and both of the cars.
See.
Well, then they started talkin' about child support, alimony,
And the costs to the court.
Didn't take me long to figure out how far in the toilet I was.
I'm tellin' ya, they have made a mistake.
'Cause it adds up to more than this cowboy makes.
Besides, everythin' I ever had worth takin' they've already took.
While she's livin' like a queen on alimony.
I'm workin' two shifts, eatin' baloney.
Askin' myself, "Why didn't you just learn how to cook?"
They give her the goldmine, (She got the goldmine,)
They give me the shaft. (I got the shaft.)
They said they're splittin' it all down the middle,
But she got the better half.
Well, it all sounds mighty funny,
But it hurts too much to laugh.
She got the goldmine, I got the shaft.
--instrumental break--
Well, she got the goldmine, (She got the goldmine,)
I got the shaft. (I got the shaft.)
They split it all down the middle,
And then they give her the better half.
Well, I guess it all sounds funny,
(Ahh, ha ha ha)
But it hurts too much to laugh.
She got the goldmine, I got the shaft.
Heh, heh. Hey, Jimmy, I got the shaft.
But I don't have to worry about totin' a billfold anymore.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
I let my wife tote it.
I'm gonna be carryin' food stamps.
You get it, judge?
I'm gonna be indebted.
That's my money.
Huh?
Contempt of court?
What do you mean I'm in contempt of court?