I left Decatur helping to forget her
Bought a ticket to Skowhegan, Maine
I wound up in Seattle too drunk and too rattled
To know that I caught the wrong train

I met some fast easy women and some hard drinking men
Trying to drown the sorrow in me
I once had a lot but the future is not
Not what it used to be

The years they went by and I went steadily down
'Til I had no place to go
Made the soup lines by morning and the dives every night
Wrecking my body and soul

And then I met a lady and in time she made me forget
Yes, her love set me free
We ain't got a lot but the future is not
Not what it used to be

Oh, I never thought I could live to get over
For the past cut a hole deep in me
But now there's a chance I'll be here a while longer
At least now I wanna be

Somebody told me that you were in town
I found out today
And you know that I'm sorry to hear that you're down
But what can I say?

That I know your sorrow and I know your pain
Don't you know I know your need?
'Cos I want to love you a lot but the future is not
Not what it used to be