His daddy said when he was a baby
He was impossible to hold
He'd fuss and fight and then he'd giggle all night
Terrify the whole household

But he'd listen to his betime stories
He believed what he was told
About gypsy camps, saddle tramps
And rainbow gold

He had about a million questions
Liked to drove everybody wild
He'd ask them stuff that was just too tough
They all told him, "hush up child"

So it came as no surprise
When he left his home so young
Looking for some kind of paradise
I don't know what else he could have done

He was a scholar
Though he never really went to school
He stood amazed at the world's ways
And he followed the golden rule

He knew a little bit about everything
He could pretty much guess the rest
And he always seemed to know what you mean
If you took him in your confidence

Now most people run around in circles
But he ran a real straight line
The only thing wrong was that before too long
He left everyone who loved him behind

So it came as no surprise
When he left his home so young
Looking for some kind of paradise
Looking for something that he hadn't already done

Well he got to be hard to keep track of
Everybody was a little confused
And then one time the old grapevine
Whispered the strangest news

Now maybe he didn't mean to do it
I understand it if you've got your doubts
But I got a good idea that the coast was clear
And he figured he'd just bust on out

Now friends I'm not saying that it was a good thing
I'm not saying that it makes much sense
I just know that he was the kind to cross every line
Jump every single last fence

So it comes as no surprise
That he left his home so young
Still looking for some kind of paradise
The fool thought he had to go all the way to kingdom come

The only thing that I really wonder about now
Keeps running across my mind
If he ever caught his breath between his birth and death

If he ever caught his breath between birth and death
I swear I don't know where he ever found the time

Some kind of paradise