daddy sits on a front porch swinging looking out on a vacant field used to be filled with burley tbacca now he knows it never will my brothers found work in indiana m sisters a nurse at the old folks home mama still cooking too much for supper and me ive been a long time gone been a long time gone no i ain t hoed a row since i dont know when long time gone and it ain t coming back again deliah plays that ol church piana sitting out on her daddys farm she always thought that wed be together lord i never meant to do her harm said she could hear me singin in the choir me i heard another song i caught wind and hit the road runnin and lord ive been a long time gone been a long time gone lord i ain t had a prayer since i dont know when long time gone and it ain t comin back again now me i went to nashville tryin to beat the big deal playin down on broadway gettin there the hard way living from a tip jar sleeping in my car hocking my guitar yeah im gonna be a star now me and deliah singing every sunday watching the children and the garden grow we listen to the radio to hear whats cookin but the music ain t got no soul now they sound tired but they dont sound haggard theyve got money but they dont have cash they got junior but they dont have hank i think i think i think the rest is a long time gone no i ain t hit the roof since i dont know when long time gone and it ain t coming back i said a long time gone no i ain t honked the horn since i dont know when long time gone and it ain t coming back again i said a long time long time long time gone well its been a long time long time long time long time gone oh its been a long time gone long time long time long time gone yeah yeah