jerry jeff walker manny was a maker of hats manny was much more than that he was the kind of guy you and i would want for a friend manny was a regular guy with an old soul look in his eye he was a man of word and true to himself to the end chorus manny liked to laugh and share a good story or two if he s a making you a hat he needs to know some things about you he d say set yourself down tell us what you re thinking about your hat says something about you before you even open your mouth manny had a funky hat shop south of town where everyone stopped to sit and chat get a hat and maybe get a new attitude he loved to sit up front and greet folks take their measurements and laugh at their jokes you couldn t stop by without staying there all afternoon his wife norma she sat in the back sewing sweatbands in all of his hats she listened to the radio some times i d sing her a tune chorus he made hats for a lot of great men but none were finer then he made for a friend he made em the old way steamed and creased em by hand he d take your old hat and make her brand new he d shape it any way you wanted him too he d fix it up fine with a porcupine beaded hatband you know his hats were worn all over the world by real cowboy women s and pearls he even made one for me he jokingly called the old friend bridge well when old friends disappear i sometimes wonder where i d like to think maybe there just somewhere round the bend but manny s in heaven i bet i ll go you one better yet i ll bet money john b and manny are talking god into a hat old manny used to take me aside he d say jerry jeff you know how to write why don t you make up a hat song and do it just the way that you do well now that old manny has gone i finally made him up manny s hat song cause it s the best way to keep your old friend alive in a room chorus manny was a maker of hats manny was much more than that he was the kind of guy you and i would want for a friend