this cruel country has driven me down teased me and lied teased me and lied i ve only sad stories to tell to this town my dreams are withered and died once i was bending the tops of the trees kind words in my ear kind faces to see then i struck up with a girl from the west played run and hide played run and hide count one to ten and she s gone with the rest my dreams are withered and died silver moon sail up and silver moon shine on the waters so wide the waters so wide steal from the bed of some good friend of mine oh my dreams are withered and died if i was a butterfly live for a day and i could be free just blowing away this cruel country has driven me down teased me and lied teased me and lied i ve only sad stories to tell to this town oh my dreams are withered and died my dreams are withered and died