I guess i should've written, dad
To let you know that i was comin' home ...
I've been gone so many years
I didn't realize you had a phone ...
I saw your cattle comin' in
Boy, they're looking mighty fat and slick ...
I saw fred at the service station
Told me that his wife is awful sick. ...

You heard my record on the radio
Oh! well it's just another song ...
But i've got a hit recorded
And it'll be out on the market 'fore too long ...
I got this ring in mexico
An' no, it didn't cost me quite a bunch ...
When you're in the business that i'm in
The people call it puttin' up a front. ...

I know i've lost a little weight
I guess i am lookin' kind of pale ...
If you didn't know me better, dad
You'd think that i'd just gotten out of jail ...
No, we don't ever call them beer joints
Night clubs are the places where i work ...
You meet a lot of people there, but no
There ain't much chance of gettin' hurt. ...

I'm sorry that i couldn't be here
With you all when momma passed away ...
I was on the road and when they came
And told me it was just too late ...
I drove by the grave to see her
Boy, that really is a pretty stone ...
I'm glad that fred and jan are here
It's better than you being here alone. ...

Well, i knew you's gonna ask me
Who the lady is that's sleepin' in the car ...
That's just a girl who works for me
And, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar ...
We worked in san antone last night
She didn't even have the time to dress ...
She drove me down from nashville
And to tell the truth i guess she needs the rest. ...

Well, dad, i gotta go, we got a dance
To work in cartersville tonight ...
Let me take your number down, i'll call you
And i promise you i'll write ...
Now you be good and don't be chasin'
All those pretty women that you know ...
And by the way if you see barbara walker
Tell her that "i said hello."