Well out of southern Illinois
Come a down-home country boy
He gonna make it in the city
Playin' guitar in the studio
Well he hadn't been there an hour
When he met a Broadway flower
You know she took him for his money
And she left him in a cheap hotel

Well it's easy for you to see
That that country boy was me
Say and how am I ever gonna
Break the news to the folks back home?
I was gonna be a great success Things sure ended up a mess
But in the process I got messed up too
well I got another to dread, you know I got a pipe upside my head, you know they took me for my money and took my guitar too

Hello momma and dad I had to call collect
'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name
Well I'm sleepin' in a hotel doorway
And tonight they say it's gonna rain
And if you'd only send me some money
I'll be back on my feet again
Send it in care of the Sunday Mission
Box Number Ten

Well back in southern Illinois
They still worryin' 'bout their boy
But this boy's goin' home
As soon as he gets the fare
Because the minute I got my bread
I got a pipe upside my head
You know they left me in an alley
Took my money and my guitar too

Hello momma and dad I had to call collect
'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name
Well I'm sleepin' in a hotel doorway
And tonight they say it's gonna rain
And if you'd only send me some money
I'll be back on my feet again
Send it in care of the Sunday Mission
Box Number Ten

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission
Box Number Ten