The Ballad Of William Joe



Words by Ray Boltz, Music by Ray Boltz and Steve Millikan



William Joe was the son of a farmer

Who lived out on the plains

William Joe never had too much

Just a horse and his name

Then one day

He said goodbye to his mama

Said, I've got to ride away

I've got to find out

What life is, papa

I'm leaving home today



Well, his mama ran and fetched him

A sack of apples

And she kissed him on the cheek

She said, Son, we don't have much

But these apples sure are sweet

And as the young man

Climbed upon his horse

Silhouetted against the sky

His papa nodded and his mama waved

And they both had tears in their eyes



As they watched him ride on

Ride on, ride on



William Joe rode for miles and miles

As he went from town to town

But each one seemed to be the same

And peace he never found

Well he'd seen the oceans

He's seen the mountains

And he'd seen the forests green

He'd seen cities and he's seen deserts

But he's never seen his dreams



Then his mind went back

To a sack of apples

He reached down in one day

And at the bottom of the sack of apples

His papa's Bible lay

And he could still remember the last words

His papa said to him

He said, Son, love will be here waiting

Till you come home again



You'll just ride on

Ride on, ride on, ride on



The evening sun was setting

As he knelt down in the dirt

And tears of repentance

Began erasing all the hurt

He closed his eyes

And bowed his head

And gave his heart to the Lord

He finally found the freedom

He'd been so long searching for



Now it's tim