Ray Boltz - Ballad Of William Joe lyrics

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 time to ride on Ride on, ride on, ride on home