Verse 1:
A D A
His daddy was a honest man,a red dirt Georgia farmer
E
His mama lived a short life having kids and bailing hay
A D A
He had fifteen years of ache inside to wander
E A
He jumped a freight in Waycross and wound up in L.A.

Verse 2:
A D A
The cold nights had no pity on that Waycross Georgia farm boy
E
Most days he went hungry,then the summer came
A D A
He met a girl known on the strip as San Francisco Mabel Joy
E A
Destitutions child born on an L.A. street called shame

Verse 3:
D A
Growing up came quietly in the arms of Mabel Joy
E
Laughter found their mornings it brought new meaning to his life
D A
The night before she left sleep came and found that Waycross country boy
E A
With dreams of Georgia cotton and California wine

Verse 4:
D A
Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door
E
A right cross sent him reeling and put him face down on the floor
D A
Inplace of Mabel Joy he found a merchant mad marine
E
He said your Georgia neck is red,but sonny you're still green

Verse 5:
A D A
He turned twenty-one in grey rock federal prison
E
The judge had no mercy on this Waycross,Georgia boy
A D A
Staring at those four grey wall in silence,Lord he listened
E
To the midnight freight he knew could take him back to Mabel Joy

Verse 6:
D A
Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door
E
With a bullet in his side he cried,have you seen Mabel Joy
D A
Stunned and shaken someone said she don't live here no more
E
She left this house four years ago she was looking for
D
Some Georgia farm boy