down in the orange grove

i learned to drive my daddy's old pickup truck

down in the orange grove

i'd nearly get a whippin' when i'd get the truck stuck

down in the orange grove

i wore out my first pair of brogan shoes

down in the orange grove

and that's where i learned how to sing the blues

down in the orange grove

i learned to pray to the lord up above

the very first time i ever tasted love was

down in the orange grove

down in the orange grove

you learn the value of a dollar when the sun gets hot

down in the orange grove

the boss wants more and you give it all you've got

down in the orange grove

we'd have to light the smudge pots when it'd come a freeze

down in the orange grove

and work all night just to save the trees

down in the orange grove

i never will forget all the lessons i learned

or the work i did for the money i earned

down in the orange grove

down in the orange grove

well the big freeze came; now the trees are gone

down in the orange grove

they cleared the land and they've built new homes

down in the orange grove

then the canker hit back in '84

down in the orange grove

now there's shopping malls and grocery stores

down in the orange grove

it made a lot of people happy when the progress came

but deep down i know it won't be the same

down in the orange grove

down in the orange grove

down in the orange grove