Seen a man standin' over a dead dog 
lyin' by the highway in a ditch
He's lookin' down kinda puzzled pokin' that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open he's standin' out on Highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough that dog'd get up and run 
Struck me kinda funny seem kinda funny sir to me
At the end of every hard earned day 
people find some reason to believe.

Now Mary Lou loved Johnny with a love mean and true
She said "Baby I'll work for you every day and bring my money home to you"
One day he up and left her and ever since that
She waits down at the end of that dirt road for young Johnny to come back.

Struck me kinda funny seemed kind of funny sir to me 
How at the end of every hard earned day 
people find some reason to believe.

Take a baby to the river Kyle William they called him
Wash the baby in the water take away little Kyle's sin
In a whitewash shotgun shack an old man passes away
Take his body to the graveyard and over him they pray.

Lord won't you tell us tell us what does it mean
Still at the end of every hard earned day 
people find some reason to believe.

Congregation gathers down by the riverside
Preacher stands with his Bible groom stands waitin' for his bride
Congregation gone and the sun sets behind a weepin' willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on so effortlessly.

Lord and he's wonderin' where can his baby be
Still at the end of every hard earned day 
people find some reason to believe.