[Verse 1]
Josie works the counter at the downtown five and dime
Anything at all to help her pass the time
Her mama keeps the baby and grandpa rambles on
About the good times playing in his mind

[Chorus]
It's a hard life livin' when you're lonely
It's a long night sleepin' alone
It's a hard time waitin' for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home

[Verse 2]
Josie spends the evening with the people on the pages
Of the paperback she picked up at the store
Or sometimes it's the TV, or she'll try to write a letter, woah
They don't come too often anymore

[Chorus]
It's a hard life livin' when you're lonely
It's a long night sleepin' alone
It's a hard time waitin' for tomorrow
It's a long, long way home

[Bridge]
I stare at the gray walls before me
And I see her face in the stone
I try to imagine our baby
I wish they would let me go home
I wish they would let me go home
I wish they would let me go home
[Chorus]
It's a hard life livin' when you're lonely (I wish they would let me go home)
It's a long night sleepin' alone (I wish they would let me go home)
It's a hard time waitin' for tomorrow (I wish they would let me go home)
It's a long, long way home (I wish they would let me go home)

[Outro]
It's a long, long way home (I wish they would let me go home)
Bring me and the other boys home (I wish they would let me go home)
Bring me and the other boys home