Papa writes to Johnny, but Johnny can't come home
Been too much time, now, too many nights on the road
Oh, too many nights on the road
Blues on the table, there's blues every week
Pouring out the coffee pot with the first cup of the day
Oh, the first cup of the day

Now where are my friends when I'm taking the heat
Only help I got today was from a stranger on the street
Oh, a stranger on the street
And why would you laugh if you wanted to cry
And why would you say things if you knew it was a lie
Oh, you knew it was a lie

Dark was the night, cold was the ground
I couldn't sleep, so I got up and walked around
Oh, I got up and walked around
And I walked into Dallas crying all the way
Running over in my mind everything I meant to say
Oh, everything I meant to say

Papa writes to Johnny, but Johnny can't come home
Been too much time, now, too many nights on the road
Oh, too many nights on the road