[Verse 1]
The whole world's topsy-turvy
You feel like you're upside down
Everyday it's a push-and-shove
Of people tryin' to get around
Working hard trying to make some bread
Trying to get it 'fore it gets away
It's too bad how a man must work to get along
But to live you know he needs the pay
The city is a place in which to build your dreams
It's a chance to give your ideas life
A man gets a longing for some county green
He'd just like some peace and quiet
Peace and quiet, peace and quiet

[Chorus]
So [I ought?] to be up and leaving this town
[?] headed down an open road
With all that you own kinda thrown on the back seat
Thinking 'bout where you'll go
Maybe New Orleans, maybe Mexico
Yeah, got to go
Yeah Mom, I got to get out of here
Don't you know, yeah babe, I got to head on down

[Verse 2]
If only you could pack up everything you love
And everyone who'd ever been your friend
Keeping close to you the things that make you strong
Carry them with you around the bend
The fear to move and meet the new can keep you in line
To go you know that somethin' stays behind
Separate the good and bad and take along the kind
To the place you'd like to be and right on time, time
[Chorus]
So [I ought?] to be up and leaving this town
[?] headed down an open road
With all that you own kinda thrown on the back seat
Thinking 'bout where you'll go
Maybe New Orleans, maybe Mexico
Yeah, got to go
Yeah Mom, I got to get out of here
Don't you know, yeah, I got to go

[Chorus]
[I ought?] to be up and leaving this town
[?] headed down an open road
With all that you own kinda thrown on the back seat
Thinking 'bout where you'll go
Maybe New Orleans, maybe Mexico
Yeah, got to go
Yeah Mom, I got to get out of here
Don't you know, yeah babe, I got to head on down
Head on down

[Outro]
Stop off down in Austin Texas see some friends of mine
Yeah yeah, down near the border
Down near the border
Down near the border
Down near the border