All through school he did real well got a good job in the sawmill yeah But he wanted more so he went away As he stepped on board the 8-0-2 he could hear his daddy say Listen to the big bell ringin' on the hillside I hear the town choir singin' oh so sweet and high Lady Luck's got a heart of stone You're the pride of Franklin County don't you leave your natural home oh yeah A small town kid with the big city blues a yearnin' heart and taped up shoes yeah He wanted more so he went astray Took a gun and he stole a car and he was on his way Listen to the big bell ringin' on the hillside
Hear the town choir singin' oh so sweet and high high Lady Luck's got a heart of stone But the pride of Franklin County's gonna make it on his own [ strings ] He got tough Lord he was hard yeah he robbed a bank oh didn't see the guard The guard shot him down and as he lay there dyin' People gathered round and they swore they heard him say Listen to the big bell ringin' on the hillside Hear the town choir singin' oh so sweet and high Lady Luck's got a heart of stone Now the pride of Franklin County's goin' home Listen to the big bell ringin' on the hillside... Finally comin' home