I gave 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 that mean-eyed cat.
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 ol' 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 to 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 east-bound train."
I bought a round-trip ticket on the east bound train, I was broke as I could be, But when I come back, I gotta buy another ticket, Gonna bring her back with me.
Well, I got off the train somewhere in Arkansas, And I worked up the guts to call my mother-in-law, She said, "I'll tell you where she is, if you act right. She's workin' four-to-twelve at Trucker's World tonight."
Well, when I walked in she saw me and she took off her apron, And she grabbed her goin'-home hat She bought a ticket with her tips. Now we're curled up on the sofa, Me and her and that mean-eyed cat.