HIS MAMA AND HIS DADDY
WERE VERY POOR
AND THEY NEVER WENT
TO SCHOOL
BILLY FOLLOWED IN
THEIR FOOTSTEPS
LIKE A LOT OF
CHILDREN DO
HE HAD TO GET A JOB
TO HELP PAY THE BILLS
SO HIS YOUNGER
BROTHER BEN
MIGHT GO TO SCHOOL AND
LEARN TO READ AND WRITE
AND MAYBE HE COULD
TEACH ALL OF THEM
BUT BILLY CAN'T READ
NO BILLY CAN'T READ
BUT HE GIVES TWO
HUNDRED PERCENT
FOR THE MINIMUM WAGE
THAT HE RECEIVES
SOMETIMES HE PRETENDS
LIKE HE CAN AS HE LOOKS
AND HE LAUGHS AT THE
PICTURES IN THE
FUNNY BOOKS
BUT IT REALLY AIN'T
FUNNY YOU SEE
THAT BILLY CAN'T READ
THEN THE BOSS MAN
CAME AROUND
TO TALK TO BILLY
ONE DAY
HE SAID NOW BILLY
YOU'RE THE
HARDEST WORKER
I'VE GOT
AND YOU SURE
DESERVE MORE PAY
BUT THE BOSS AT THE
TOP SAYS I HAVE TO GIVE
EVERY FOREMAN
A WRITTEN TEST
BILLY HUNG HIS HEAD 'CAUSE
HE KNEW RIGHT THEN
HE'D ALWAYS HAVE TO
SETTLE FOR LESS
'CAUSE BILLY CAN'T READ
NO BILLY CAN'T READ
BUT HE GIVES TWO
HUNDRED PERCENT
FOR THE MINIMUM WAGE
THAT HE RECEIVES
SOMETIMES HE PRETENDS
LIKE HE CAN AS HE LOOKS
AND HE LAUGHS AT THE
PICTURES IN THE FUNNY BOOKS
BUT IT REALLY AIN'T
FUNNY YOU SEE
THAT BILLY CAN'T READ
LITTLE BEN NEVER
TOOK FOR GRANTED
ALL HIS BROTHER
BILLY SACRIFICED
EVERY NIGHT WHILE
THE FAMILY SLEPT
THEY WOULD SIT UP LATE
BY THAT OLD LAMP LIGHT
SOUNDIN' OUT THE
A'S AND THE E'S
AND THE I'S AND
O'S AND U'S
NOW HE'S READIN' EVERYTHING
FROM THE CEREAL BOX
TO THE BIBLE THREE
TIMES THROUGH
'CAUSE BILLY CAN READ
YEAH BILLY CAN READ
AND NOW THE REST OF HIS
LIFE WILL BE DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL
GIFT HE RECEIVED
NOW HE DON'T HAVE TO
ACT LIKE HE'S LAUGHING
AS HE LOOKS AT
THE SILLY PICTURES
IN THOSE FUNNY
BOOKS
THEY'RE AS FUNNY
AS THEY CAN BE
NOW THAT BILLY
CAN READ
YEAH HIS LIFE IS MUCH
BETTER YOU SEE
NOW THAT BILLY
CAN READ