I KNEW A GIRL
WHO WAS ALMOST
A LADY
SHE HAD A WAY
WITH ALL THE MEN
IN HER LIFE
EVERY INCH OF HER
BLOSSOMED
IN BEAUTY
SHE WAS BORN ON
THE FOURTH OF JULY
WELL SHE LIVED IN
AN ALUMINUM
HOUSE TRAILER
AND SHE WORKED IN
A JUKEBOX SALOON
AND SHE SPENT ALL
THE MONEY
THAT I GIVE HER
JUST TO SEE
THE OLD MAN IN
THE MOON
I USED TO SLEEP AT
THE FOOT OF OLD GLORY
AND AWAKE IN
THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
BUT MUCH TO MY
SURPRISE
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES
I WAS A VICTIM
OF THE GREAT
COMPROMISE
6 BAR
BREAK
WELL WE'D GO OUT
ON SATURDAY EVENINGS
TO THE DRIVE-IN
ON ROUTE FORTY-ONE
AND IT WAS THERE
THAT I FIRST SUSPECTED
THAT SHE WAS DOIN'
WHAT SHE'D ALREADY
DONE
SHE SAID JOHNNY
WON'T YOU GET ME
SOME POPCORN
AND SHE KNEW I
HAD TO WALK
PRETTY FAR
AND AS SOON AS
I PASSED THROUGH
THE MOONLIGHT
SHE HOPPED INTO
A FOREIGN SPORTS CAR
I USED TO SLEEP AT
THE FOOT OF OLD GLORY
AND AWAKE IN
THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
BUT MUCH TO MY
SURPRISE
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES
I WAS A VICTIM
OF THE GREAT
COMPROMISE
8 BAR
INSTRUMENTAL
BREAK
WELL YOU KNOW
I COULD HAVE BEAT UP
THAT FELLOW
BUT IT WAS HER
THAT HAD HOPPED
INTO HIS CAR
AND MANY TIMES
I'D FOUGHT
TO PROTECT HER
BUT THIS TIME
SHE WAS GOIN' TOO FAR
NOW SOME FOLKS
THEY CALL ME
A COWARD
'CAUSE I LEFT HER
AT THE DRIVE-IN
THAT NIGHT
BUT I'D DRUTHER
HAVE NAMES
THROWN AT ME
THAN TO FIGHT FOR
A THING
THAT AIN'T RIGHT
I USED TO SLEEP AT
THE FOOT OF OLD GLORY
AND AWAKE IN
THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
BUT MUCH TO MY
SURPRISE
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES
I WAS A VICTIM
OF THE GREAT
COMPROMISE
8 BAR
INSTRUMENTAL
BREAK
WELL SHE WRITES ALL
THE FELLOWS
LOVE LETTERS
SAYING GREETINGS
COME AND SEE ME
REAL SOON
AND THEY GO
AND LINE UP IN
THE BARROOM
AND SPEND THE NIGHT IN
THAT SICK WOMAN'S
ROOM
BUT SOMETIMES
I GET AWFUL LONESOME
AND I WISH SHE
WAS MY GIRL INSTEAD
BUT SHE WON'T
LET ME LIVE WITH HER
AND SHE MAKES ME
LIVE IN MY HEAD
I USED TO SLEEP AT
THE FOOT OF OLD GLORY
AND AWAKE IN
THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
BUT MUCH TO MY
SURPRISE
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES
I WAS A VICTIM
OF THE GREAT
COMPROMISE