Pile in the church pew rows
Gran made the best yeast rolls
Gospel stories told
About the one way to save your soul
Drag out the old guitar
Gas up that old Ford car
We're gonna hit the dusty road
Four wheels can bear the load

It's been a long
It's been a long, long, long, long, long lonely road

Pops earned his bread in dust
But his hard-working hands fed us
Sun up till sun sank down
His body worked to the ground
Folks thought we had it made
'Cause we always kept a face
Meanwhile there's bills to pay
And the stack growing every day

It's been a long
It's been a long, long
Been a long, long, long, long, lonely road
My, my, my
It's been a long
Been a long, long
Been a long, long, long, long, lonely road

Soon as I turned eighteen
I packed up, the grass is green
New York or Tennessee
Where I am is where I'll be
Darling, tell me about your plans
And I find a place of mine
Surely there'll be a way
To move towards a brighter day

It's been a long
It's been a long, long
Been a long, long, long, long, lonely road
My, my, my, it's been a long
Been a long, long
Been a long, long, long, long, lonely road
My, my, my, it's been a long
Been a long, long, long
Long, long, lonely road

One person's path unpaid
Went towards the path that saved
These are the songs you sing
In the search for the grass that's green

It's been a long
Been a long, long, long, lonely road