Took a bus from Bassfield to Bogalusa one day
More time than money
Ticket was only one way
A paper sack with fried chicken
And a piece of white bread
'Cause Mama won't let you leave home
'Less she knows you'll be fed
Walk miles to the highway
And flag down the bus
A few pennies short
Have mercy on us
Hire on at the paper mill
Work from dawn until dusk
And march with the Deacons for Defense and Justice
Doing life big in Magic City
Make the folks at home proud
Make your way back home to Bassfield
Like you always vowed
Hitch rides home for Christmas and Granddaddy's wake
Take comfort in Mama's hugs and her butter pound cake
Papa says
Do your best
Keep the faith and
Don't quit
And don't forget where you come from
Else your britches won't fit
Leave cash with little Sister
Hop the train back to town
It's Tipitina & Bald Head
Professor Longhair's in town
Doing life big in Magic City
Make the folks at home proud
Make your way back home to Bassfield
Like you always vowed
Work hard and play harder
Turn your life around
Done sowed enough wild oats
Time to settle down
Fall in love with a church girl
And make her your queen
Raise your kids to work hard
And keep their noses clean
Got hooked on tobacco
At the age of thirteen
No clue that it'd lead to
An end cruel and mean
Eldest boy preached the service
When you gave up the ghost
Uncle Jim spoke a eulogy
That sounded more like a toast
Did life big in Magic City
Made the folks at home proud
Made your way back home to Bassfield
Like you always vowed
Did life big in Magic City
Made the folks at home proud
Laid to rest back home in Bassfield
Like you always vowed
