[Chorus]
  He wants a big old red guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.
 
[Verse 1]
Well, he names his little girl and boy, together they’ll become a star,
ah, but he don’t know the heartache and the pain.
Probably go through two or three bars, ruin a whole bunch of children’s lives,
ah, but he don’t know what that guitar’s got his soul.
 
[Chorus]
He wants a big old red guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.
 
 
[Verse 2]
Well, he thinks it’ll change his life, that’s the one thing that he’s got right,
ah, but he don’t know the heartache and the pain.
Probably burn a hundred dollars, be involved in a couple of crimes,
ah, but he don’t know but that guitar’s got his soul.
 
[Chorus]
He wants a big old red guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.
 
 
[Chorus]
He wants a big old red guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.
 
He wants a big old Martin guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.
 
 
[End-Chorus]
He wants a big old red guitar, he sent the woman behind the bars,
now he dreams about the day he’s gonna take her home.
He’s mowin’ the neighbor’s yard, he’s sweatin’ and he’s workin’ real hard,
savin’ up to buy that big old red guitar.