He was standin' by the highway with a sign that just said mother
When he heard a driver comin' 'bout a half a mile away�������
Then he held the sign up higher, where no decent soul could miss it���������
It was ten degrees or colder down by bolder dam that day

He was raised up in milwaukee-though he never was that famous
He was just a road musician-to the taverns he would go
Singin' songs about the ramblin'-the lovin' girls and gamblin'
How the world fell on his shoulders-back in boulder i don't know

It was out in arizona-that he heard the lady listenin
To each word that he was sayin'-to each line that he would write
So he sat down by her table and they talked about the weather
Ninety-eight point six and risin'-down by boulder dam that day

And she told him she would take him-for a ride
In the mornin' sun, back in boulder he had told her,
I don't know when i had a better friend

Now he's traded off his martin-but his troubles are not over
For his feet are almost frozen-and the sun is sinkin' low
Won't you listen to me brother-if you ever loved your mother
Please pull off on the shoulder-if you're goin' milwaukee way
It's ten degrees and getting colder-down by boulder dam today