[Verse 1]
The hills of Cow Gap stood rugged and awesome
But you have to have fill dirt when you're building a road
And the hills of Cow Gap, man, they weathered the ages
Got wiped off the map at 12 dollars a load

[Chorus]
They call it the hill country, I call it beautiful
I'd call it progress if it could be saved
They call it the hill country, I call it home
But what will they call it when it's leveled and paved?

[Verse 2]
Uncivilized pagans drank untreated water
Right out of our river back in their day
Now those streams bubble with clean treated sewage
While they sit in their hot tubs and they sip Perrier

[Chorus]
They call it the hill country, I call it beautiful
I'd call it progress if it could be saved
They call it the hill country, I call it home
But what will they call it when it's leveled and paved?

[Verse 3]
Scrape off the hilltop, build look-alike houses
Move in some people and turn on the TV
After the ball game, turn on some old movies
They'll smile when they see how things use to be
[Chorus]
They call it the hill country, I call it beautiful
I'd call it progress if it could be saved
They call it the hill country, I call it home
But what will they call it when it's leveled and paved?

[Chorus]
They call it the hill country, I call it beautiful
I'd call it progress if it could be saved
They call it the hill country, I call it home
But what will they call it when it's leveled and paved?