By: David Allan Coe



I NEVER MEANT TO LEAVE HER, MY INTENTIONS WERE TO STAY

IT WASN'T NOTHING SHE HAD DONE OR NOTHING SHE COULD SAY

TO CHANGE THIS OLD FAMILIAR FEELING THAT

MAKES CHILLS RUN THROUGH MY SKIN

'LESS SHE READ MY MIND AND SAW THE

SIGNS THAT POINT AROUND THE BEND



MY TOOTHBRUSH NEVER LEAVES MY POCKET,

THERE'S NO ANCHOR ON MY FEET

IF MY SLEEPING' BAG GETS DUSTY AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TO EAT

I MAY STAY AN EXTRA DAY, 'TIL I FIND ANOTHER TOWN

YOU CAN BET THERE'S NOT A LADY THAT

CAN SHOW THIS FREIGHT TRAIN DOWN



AND I'LL BE MOVING IN THE MORNING,

LEAVING YOU BEHIND

IF ANYONE SHOULD ASK YOU,

YOU CAN TELL THEM THEY WILL FIND

SOMEBODY WALKING' DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH A GUITAR IN HIS HAND

AND I'LL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS A FREE BORN RAMBLING' MAN



LORD, TELL THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY FIND ME,

THAT I DIED BUT NOT IN VAIN

THEY CAN FIND REINCARNATION IN THE WHISTLE OF A TRAIN

AND EACH TIME THEY HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOW

THROUGH THE STILLNESS OF THE LAND

THEY'LL KNOW THAT I WAS HAPPY AS A FREE BORN RAMBLING' MAN