her mama cussed

she was out of film

as her baby came down those stairs

looking right at her boyfriend

his hands, they shook

as he pinned on her corsage

and she almost cried

cause she?d liked this guy

from the very start.

shoulda been just another first

and not the last

beautiful moment in two lives

when they looked back

but now they?re



(chorus)

flowers by the side of the road

yeah, that?s all that?s left

of the hopes and dreams

of two seventeen year-olds

some dreams live on

and some, they don?t

all that?s left to know

all that?s left to show

are flowers by the side of the road



could?ve been me

could?ve been you

how many times have i said

i?ve just had one or two

it?s a sobering thought

it?s a sobering sight

how like a bad, bad dream

you can lose everything

on a careless night

be the one who lives

be the one who?s gone

be the mother whose heart

has to somehow go on

but she?ll leave



(repeat chorus)