California Okie

Standin' by a cotton field

A little North of Bakersfield

Valley heat and dust looking to choke me

Tryin' hard to thumb a ride

Holdin' up my weary pride

I'm just a homesick California Okie

Well, just to keep from gettin' down

I remember sittin' 'round

That old wood stove in mama's country kitchen

And every car that passes by

I cuss and tell myself that I

Can't get back home nor anywhere's by hitching

And I wish I'd never left old Oklahoma

I never had no money, least I had a wife

She begged me not to leave old Oklahoma

I never had no money there, at least we had a life

When the sun's a goin' down

Needles ain't no kind of town

For a guy like me to be in

Broke and walkin'

'Cause if a cop should happen by

Ten to one he'd stop

And I ain't in no mood to do no fancy talkin'

I reckon I'd be outta stick

But only if I'd caught a friend

Back in Bakersfield, but somethin' wouldn't let me

Well, if you believe in Okie's guy

Give this country boy a night

Or send some kinda angel here to get me

And I wish I'd never left old Oklahoma

I never had no money there, at least I had a wife

She begged me not to leave old Oklahoma

I never had no money there, at least we had a life

Never had no money there

At least I had a wife