When I Stop Dreaming

[Intro]
When I was about 14 years old, I was a water boy on the river crew. The Tyronza River ran right through Mississippi County, Arkansas, where I lived. And I got a job for three dollars a day carrying water to all the workmen that were cleaning out the river, the dredging crew. And they say there was a cottonmouth moccasin every square yard on the banks of that Tyronza River. I saw some mighty big ones. But the thing that stuck with me about that job on that river crew was that every day at one o'clock, no matter where I was, no matter if I was supposed to have been giving water to the workmen or where I was supposed to be, I was hiding up in one of the workmen's cars, listening to the radio in the car because coming from the Memphis radio station was a group called the Lonesome Valley Trio. That was Smilin' Eddie Hill and Ira and Charlie, the Louvin Brothers. Singing those gospel songs, how I loved 'em. Years later, I finally got to meet Ira and Charlie, even worked with 'em, Eddie Hill. And some great talent, some great songs came out of the minds of all three of those people. One of the best songs, I think, the Louvin Brothers ever wrote was "When I Stop Dreaming"

[Verse 1]
The worst that I've ever been hurt in my life
The first time I ever have wanted to die
Was the night when you told me you loved someone else
And you asked me if I could forget

[Chorus]
When I stop dreaming
That's when I'll stop loving you

[Verse 2]
You may teach a flower to bloom in the snow
You may take a pebble and teach it to grow
You may teach all the raindrops to return to the clouds
But you can't teach my heart to forget

[Chorus]
When I stop dreaming
That's when I'll stop loving you