Daddy sits on the front porch swingin'
Looking out on a vacant field
Used to be filled with burley tobacco
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 been a long time gone
Chorus
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 comin' back again
Delia plays that old 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 singing in the choir
Me I heard another song
I caught wind and hit the road runnin'
And Lord I been a long time gone
Chorus
Now me, I went to Nashville
Trying to be the big deal
Playing down on Broadway
Getting 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 Deliah
Singing every Sunday
Watching the children and the garden grow
Listen to the radio to hear what's cooking
But the music ain't got no soul
Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard
They 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
Chorus
I said a long time, long time, long time gone
Whoa, 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