G
Lord, Mary took to runnin' with a travelin' man,

Left her momma cryin' with her head in her hands.
       C/G                 G
Such a sad case, so broken hearted.
G
She say: Mama, I got to go, gotta get outta here,
G
Gotta get out of town, tired of hanging around,
      C/G                 G
Gotta roll on between the ditches.
G
It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things go,
G
Round and around, nobody knows,
        C/G                G
But the highway goes on forever.
             C/G                G
Oh, that 'ol highway goes on forever.


[Verse 2]
G
Lord, she never would've done it if she hadn't got drunk,
G
If she hadn't started runnin' with a travelin' man,
F      C                                  G
If she hadn't started taking those crazy chances.
G
She say: Daughter, let me tell you 'bout the travelin' kind,

Everywhere they go in such a very short time,
F         C                   G
He'll be long gone before you know it.
    F        C                    G
Oh, he'll be long gone before you know it.


[Chorus]
        Em                            D
She say never have I known it when it felt so good,
C                           G
Never have I knew it when I knew I could.
Em                            D
Never have I done it when it looked so right,
C
Leaving Lou'siana in the broad daylight.


[Verse 3]
        G
This is down in the swamp where anything goes,
G
It's alligator bait and the bars don't close,
F        C                        G
It's the real thing down in Lou'siana.
G
Did you ever see a Cajun when he really got mad,
G
When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad?
    F   C                      G
It gets real hot down in Lou'siana.
G
The stranger better move it or he's gonna get killed,
G
He's gonna have to get it or a shotgun will,
   F     C                   G
It ain't no time for lengthy speeches,
           F C                  G
There ain't no time for lengthy speeches.


[Chorus]
        Em                            D
She say never have I known it when it felt so good,
C                           G
Never have I knew it when I knew I could.
Em                            D
Never have I done it when it looked so right,
C
Leaving Lou'siana in the broad daylight.


[Chorus]
        Em                            D
She say never have I known it when it felt so good,
C                           G
Never have I knew it when I knew I could.
Em                            D
Never have I done it when it looked so right,
C
Leaving Lou'siana in the broad daylight.


[Outro]
             G
It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things go,
                                       C/G               G
Round and around nobody knows, but the highway goes on forever.
          F C                  G
There ain't no way to stop the water.