Me and billy joe and mary beth
were raised up on the path
of righteousness
made a solemn vow that
we'd always be close
and never wander far from
sawmill road
As the years went by
the world began to change
one by one we outgrew
those childhood games
momma cooked and cleaned
and worried 'bout our souls
we got into beer and cars
and rock 'n' roll
Chorus:
we knew jesus was the answer
and elvis was the king
blue suede shoes and rock of ages
were the songs we learned to sing
innocence went out of style
and we just watched it go
yesterday got left beneath
the dust on sawmill road
Billy joe went to saigon
for uncle sam
now i go to see him,
he don't know who i am
once a year i get a card
from mary beth
she's with husband number four
somewhere out west
i still live in this old house
where we were raised
on this red dirt road
the county never paved
now i watch my kids
and worry 'bout their souls
and pray they'll never wander
far from sawmill road
Chorus
Me and billy joe and mary beth
were raised up on the path
of righteousness.