the man i loved ran a salesman route selling goods from house to house now i knew my mama would never stand for me stepping out with no traveling man mama bought things that he was a selling but mama didn t know and i sure wasn t telling that behind her back i was making plans to meet somewhere with that traveling man oh the traveling man was a good bit older but a girl needs arms to hold her mama didn t know because i didn t told her but mama wouldn t understand me stepping out with a traveling man mama didn t allow me going courting and i d tell lies that i reckon i oughtn t oh but she d give me the back her hand if she d seen me with that traveling man so i tell my mama that i reckon i ought to go to the spring and fetch us some water what mama didn t know is i had a plan to meet down there with that traveling man now i make plans to run away with that traveling man on a saturday well saturday s here and here i stand and there goes my mama with that traveling man oh that traveling man was a two time lover he took my love then he took my mother but i didn t know because mama didn t told me and i don t understand my mama running off with my traveling man mama you know you oughtn t done that you just like my daddy he run off before i ever know him you done run off with my traveling man and i really don t think i ever know you either oh there goes my mama with my traveling man and i m really going to miss that traveling man mm hm