Tearing down the highway in the pouring rain
Escaping from my wedding day
I heard the bells ringing in the local church
the ceremony's nearly under way
Telegrams came and the cheap champagne
Was driving everybody out of their brains
But I convinced my best friends I lost my nerve
and I pleaded I was being framed

"Sailor show me which way to go"
I screamed out loud
"Sailor show me which way to go"

Such a deadly silence
due to my defiance
the wedding ground to a halt
Said I changed my mind
ain't no use in your trying
so her brother punched me in the throat
her mother got hysterical
the bitch was cynical father's in the corner drunk
Picking myself off the floor
I ran to the door
damned if I was skippin' on my way

"Sailor show me which way to go"
You should have heard the noise
Said "Sailor show me which way to go"

So keep clean girlie
find a man that's truly gonna love you
from dusk till dawn
Keep your front door key
don't give him up for me
'cause tomorrow I may be gone
You see, your would be keepers
. . . all night creepin'
nobody gonna change in there
Who thinks a marriage life should be like a dog's life
so let's renew it when the year runs out

Sailor show me which way to go
Sailor show me which way to go