Isolation Video 279 Pretty Paper by Willie Nelson recorded by Stephen Mendel on Dec. 21, 2020

Isolation Video 279 Pretty Paper by Willie Nelson recorded by Stephen Mendel on Dec. 21, 2020
"Pretty Paper" was written by Willie Nelson in 1963. He had just signed, primarily as a songwriter, with Monument Records. He played the song for producer Fred Foster who in turn pitched it to Roy Orbison who recorded it and had a #10 hit with it on the Adult Contemporary Chart. Nelson recorded the song himself after moving to RCA Records in 1964. Nelson said in an interview that the song was inspired by his memory of a man he used to see when he was living in Fort Worth, Texas who had had his legs amputated and got around on a wheeled cart and sold paper and pencils on the street in front of a department store. The song has been covered many times: Glenn Campbell, Randy Travis and Dolly Parton to name a few.

Lyrics
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Crowded street, busy feet, hustle by him
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
Hoping that you won't pass him by
Should you stop? Better not, much too busy
You're in a hurry, my how time does fly
In the distance the ringing of laughter
And in the midst of the laughter he cries
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue