well i'm sittin' in church in an old wooden chair
i knew nobody would look for me there
sorrow and pity rule the earth and the skies
looking for nothin' in anyone's eyes
once i had a pretty gal
did me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
snow flakes are fallin' around my head
lord have mercy
it feel heavy like lead
i been hit too hard
seen too much
nothing can heal me now but your touch
once i had a pretty gal
she did me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
loneliness got a mind of its own
the more people around
the more you feel alone
i'm chained to the earth like a silent slave
trying to break free out of death's dark cave
once i had a pretty gal
done me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
boys in the street beginnin' to play
girls like birds flyin' away
i'm carryin' the roses that were given to me
and i'm thinkin' about paradise wonderin' where it might be
once i had a pretty gal
she done me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
go over to london
maybe gay paris
follow the river you get to the sea
i was hopin' we could drink from life's clear streams
i was hopin' we could dream life's pleasant dreams
once i had a pretty gal
but she done me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
well the weak get weaker and the strong stay strong
the train keeps rollin' all night long
she looked at me with an irresistable glance
with a smile that could make all the planets dance
once i had a pretty gal
she did me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long
my house is on fire
burnin' to the skies
i thought the rain clouds
but the clouds passed by
when i'm gone you'll remember my name
i'm gonna win my way to wealth and fame
once i had a pretty gal
but she did me wrong
now i'm marching to the city and the road ain't long