West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown

[Verse 1]

Standin' on side of the Highway 4 exit

A singing lady in tie-dye with a bag by her side

Not seemingly lookin' like anything special

She saw my Tennessee tags and she waved for a ride

She sat right there 'side me as the needle hit sixty

Explaining her travels and her family background

When she got through I could not help but thinking

She's a long way from a West Nashville grand ballroom gown

Yes, she's a long way from a West Nashville grand ballroom gown

[Chorus 1]

Father had money and her mother had love

Channelled entirely to her dear sister Dove

Twenty-two years in society's plan

Cancelled at the swing of her dear mother's hand

[Verse 2]

Two hours later we hit Cincinnati

Yawnin', she woke up and then asked where we were

When she found out, she said "I must be goin'"

It seemed this close to Nashville was too close for her

So I stopped by the roadside and I gave her five dollars

She took it and she kissed me and she gave me a note

She told me I could read if I mailed it in Nashville

On old loose-leaf paper to her mother she wrote

[Chorus 2]

'Mama I'm fine if you happen to wonder'

'I don't have much money but I still get around'

'I haven't made church in near thirty-six Sundays'

'So fuck all those West Nashville grand ballroom gowns'

'Yeah, fuck all them West Nashville grand ballroom gowns'