Her momma cussed
She was out of film
As her baby came down those stairs
Looking right at him
His hands they shoke
As he pinned on that corsage
And she almost cried
Cause she'd liked this guy
From the very start

Shoulda been just another first
Not the last
A beautiful moment
In two lives
When they looked back

Now there's flowers
By the side of the road
Yeah that's all that's left
Of the hopes and dreams
Of two seventeen year olds
Some dreams live on
And some they don't
All that's left to know
All that's left to show
Are flowers by the side of the road

Coulda been me
Coulda been you
How many times have I said
Just have one or two
It's a soberin' thought
It's a soberin' sight
Like a bad bad dream
You can lose everything
One careless night

Be the one who lives
Be the one whose gone
Be the mother whose heart
Has to somehow go on

Shouldn't be there's flowers
By the side of the road
Yeah that's all that's left
Of the hopes and dreams
Of two seventeen year olds
Some dreams live on
And some they don't
All that's left to know
All that's left to show
Are flowers by
the side of the road
Flowers by the side
Of the road

Coulda been me
Coulda been you