Well I left my home out on the great High Plains

Headed for some new terrain

Standin' on the highway with my coffe cup

A' Wonderin' who was gonna pick me up

I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I

Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by

I had my hopes up high



Well, the first ride I got was in a dynamite truck

The driver kept a' tellin' me his bad luck

As we swerved around the curves I began to shout

Hey-ey mister would you let me out

I had my hopes up high--I never though that I

Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by

I had my hopes up high



And the next ride I got was with a man in trouble

The beard on his face was all in a stubble

Runnin' from the law he was goin' ninety-nine,

I said hey-ey mister you're out of your mind

I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I

Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by

I had my hopes up high



Oh, the next ride I got was with a preacher man

Told me that the wicked would be buried in sand

Don't know why I did it but I lost control

Hey-ey Papa would you save my soul

I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I

Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by

I had my hopes up high



And I finally got a ride on a carnival train

Nearly blew away in a hurricane

I got to thinkin' bout that preacher down in Louisianne

Sittin' on the Delta Siftin' sand

I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I

Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by

I had my hopes up high



From the First, Live Shots, Mountain Stage, Best Of Vol.1, Whatever happend to Maria Album` s.