Mama, your child is cryin', it's a sad and beautiful world
Mama, your child is cryin', it's a sad and beautiful world

River towns are tough towns, and Memphis sure is one
It's no wonder how far I've wandered from my home

You can hear it in my voice, and you can see it in my eyes
Goin' back to that lonely place and rest my soul a while

Mama, your child is cryin', it's a sad and beautiful world
Mama, your child is cryin', such a sad and beautiful world

The highway was callin', I followed a long, long road
Driftin' from town to town, wherever my faith did roll

I don't care where I'm headed, you know it's just one of those things
Rolling along, can't you hear, can't you hear my highway sing?

Highway, now highway, won't you sing me back home?
Back to that haunted place by the river all alone

Then let the blues heal what's been torn apart
I can rest my soul and let the river heal my heart, oh

Mama, your child is cryin', it's a sad and beautiful world
Mama, your child is cryin', it's a sad and beautiful world
So sad
Uh huh
And lonely
But that's all right
I'm gonna keep on movin'
Well, ha, aha, listen to me