All you ever were to him was a rhyme
You came as easy as highway or light
And sure the boy could sing
You say his daddy taught him how to bleed
And it's hard, but it ain't no reason to lie awake
Flooding the salt flats of your palm
Reciting his words as if they were psalms

He'll call the next time he blows through this town
Hit you up for a couple of rounds
You look weak in the knees
Every time the damn telephone rings
You say that it's me
I'm a child playing make believe
And I could never comprehend the pain
That he struggles with every day

And the night owls see all kinds of things
They've seen you hide under a canopy
And there's a lesson rolling round the bend
If you knew back then you'd've still welcomed him in
How could you resist those ramblin' lips

When I'm gone, another rube will stand in my place
To thumb your volumes of mail order lace
It looks good on the page
Then again it don't come with those legs
And all in the name
Of only having the strength to walk away
It's always the worst parts that remain
To burden the hours with heartache and blame

And the night owls see all kinds of things
They've seen you lain down on a bed of leaves
And there's a lesson rolling round the bend
If you knew back then you'd've still welcomed him in
How could you resist those ramblin' lips