We had an apartment in the city
Me and Loretta liked living there
It'd been years since the kids had grown
A life of their own, left us alone

John and Linda live in Omaha
And Joe is somewhere on the road
And we lost Davy in the Korean War
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore

You know that old trees just grow stronger
Old rivers grow wider every day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more
She sits and stares through the backdoor screen
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some old forgotten dream, one that we've both seen

Someday I'll go call up Rudy
We worked together at the factory
But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"

You know that old trees just grow stronger
Old rivers grow wider every day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"
So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello"