Daddy sits on the front porch swinging,
Looking out on a vacant field.
Used to be filled with burley t'bacca.
Now he knows it never will.

My brother found work in Indiana,
Sister's a nurse at the old folks home.
Mama's still cooking too much for supper,
And me, I've been a long time gone.

Been a long time gone,
No, I ain't hoed a row since I don't know when.
Long time gone, and it ain't coming back again.

Delia plays that ol' church piano,
Sittin' out on her daddy's farm.
She always thought that we'd be together,
Lord, I never meant to do her harm.

Said she could hear me singin' in the choir,
Me, I heard another song.
I caught wind and hit the road runnin',
And Lord, I've been a long time gone.

Been a long time gone,
Lord, I ain't had a prayer since I don't know when.
Long time gone, and it ain't comin' back again.

Now me, I went to Nashville,
Tryin' to beat the big deal.
Playin' down on Broadway,
Gettin' there the hard way.
Living from a tip jar,
Sleeping in my car.
Hocking my guitar,
Yeah, I'm gonna be a star.

Now, me and Delia singing every Sunday,
Watching the children and the garden grow.
We listen to the radio to hear what's cookin',
But the music ain't got no soul.

Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard,
They've got money but they don't have Cash.
They got Junior but they don't have Hank.
I think, I think, I think, the rest is,
A long time gone,

No, I ain't hit the roof since I don't know when.
Long time gone, and it ain't coming back.

I said a long time gone,
No, I ain't honked the horn since I don't know when.
Long time gone, and it ain't coming back again.

I said a long time, long time, long time gone.
Well, it's been a long time.

Long time, long time, long time gone,
Oh, it's been a long time gone.

Long time, long time, long time gone.
Yeah, yeah.