I give my woman half my money at the general store
I said, now buy a little groceries, and don't spend no more
But she paid ten dollars for a ten-cent hat
And bought some store-bought cat food for a mean-eyed cat
When I give her ten more dollars for a one-way ticket
She was mad as could be
Then I bet ten more that if she ever left
She'd come a-crawlin' back to me
When I woke up this mornin' and I turned my head
There wasn't a cotton-pickin' thing on her side of the bed
I found a little note where her head belonged
It said, dear John, honey, baby, I'm long gone
When I heard a whistle blowin', and the big wheels a-turnin'
I was scared as I could be
I put on my overalls and I headed for town
Gonna bring her back with me
I asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her there
I told him all about her pretty eyes and long, blonde hair
He spit his tobacco, said, I'll be dad-blamed
I believe I did see her leavin' on the Eastbound train
I bought a round-trip ticket on the Eastbound train
I was broke as I could be
But when I come back, I gotta buy another ticket
Gotta bring her back with me
