Oh lord, I met a girl
She looked like Dixieland
With sawdust eyes and long white boots
She woke me up my head, good lord; she woke me up my head

She took me for a man, good lord
Took me for a dance
She told me I could change my life
I didn't understand a word, I didn't understand

I can’t believe I never knew before
Why I was angry all the time
Or how Big Jim had us saving our money up just until the next Friday night

Two years of living, good lord
I was a different man
One year to empty my whole life
One to fill it up again; so good to fill it up again

Oh lord she told me once
When it was time to let her go
Would you guess that's when I tried to hold on more than ever before?

I tried to do as she said
Good fishermen are kind
But when she up and disappeared
I held a broken line, good lord; I held a broken line

I know I ought to not have
Drove my car onto the dancehall floor
That dumb look in their eyes, when I asked 'em what they were living for

Two years of living, good lord
I never could have guessed
But two days without a trace of her
I was a mess at best, I know; I was a mess at best

Oh lord she told me once
When it was time to let her go
Would you guess that's when I tried to hold on more than ever before?

I tried to change my life, good lord
I tried to change their minds
Driving my fists into their skulls
Now I'm on the gallows line, oh god; I'm on the gallows line