Lord, Mary took to runnin' with a travelin' man Left her momma crying with her head in her hands Such a sad case, so broken hearted She say, "Momma, I got to go, I gotta get out of here I gotta get out of town, I'm tired of hangin' around I gotta roll on between the ditches" It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things goes Round and around, nobody knows But the highway goes on forever That old highway rolls on forever Lord, she never would've done it if she hadn't got drunk If she hadn't started runnin' with a travelin' man If she hadn't started takin' those crazy chances She say, "Daughter, let me tell you 'bout the travelin' kind Everywhere he's goin', such a very short time He'll be long gone before you know it He'll be long gone before you know it" She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never have I knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" This is down in the swampland where anything goes It's alligator bait and the bars don't close It's the real thing down in Louisiana Did you ever see a Cajun when he really got mad When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad It gets real hot down in Louisiana And now the stranger better move it or he's gonna get k**ed He's gonna have to get it or a shotgun will It ain't no time for lengthy speeches There ain't no time for lengthy speeches She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never have I knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never have I knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things go Round and around, nobody knows But the highway goes on forever There ain't no way to stop the water