Well, out of Southern Illinois

Come a down home country boy

He's gonna make it in the city playin' guitar in the studio

Oh, well, he hadn't been there an hour

When he met a Broadway flower

You know she took him for his money, and she left him in a cheap hotel

Oh, well, it's easy for you to see

That that country boy is me

Say, and how am I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home?

Well, I was gonna be a great success

Things sure ended up a mess

But in the process, I got messed up too

But hello mama and dad, I had to call collect

'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name

Well, I'm a sleepin' in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

Oh, I'll be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission

Box number ten

Well, back in Southern Illinois

They're still worryin' 'bout their boy

But this boy's goin' home soon as he gets the fare

Because as soon as I got my bread

I got a pipe upside my head

You know they left me in an alley, took my money and my guitar too

And hello mama and dad, I had to call collect

'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name

Well, I'm a-sleepin' in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'll be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission

Box number ten