I need to go down and wash my face
Deep in the river of my old homeplace
I need to walk in the waters that once gave me life
Go over and walk the old railroad tracks
See if I can follow it all the way back
Back to where my vision is clear
Back to the days of the innocent years
You know I'd trade it all back in
For just one day like it was back then
Back before just living my life got in the way
To see my face at sixteen again
When the boy down the street was my best friend
When his smile took away my tears
Back in the days of the innocent years.
--Chorus--
You might grow wiser every day
But there's a price you have to pay
The girl I was just disappeared
I left her behind in the innocent years
--End Chorus--
Now and then when the sun goes down
I can see the moon over my hometown
I can almost hear the train rushing by
I close my eyes and say a prayer
To the wide-eyed girl that I lost somewhere
Maybe someday she'll find me here
And lead me back to the innocent years
(chorus)
When I get lost along the way
And I can't see the light of day
I can almost feel her near
Calling me back to the innocent years
The innocent years.