Born the middle son

Of a farmer

And a small town

Southern man

Like his daddy's daddy

Before him

Brought up workin'

On the land

Fell in love

With a small town woman

And they married up

And settled down

Natural way of life

If you're lucky

For a small town

Southern man

First there came four

Pretty daughters

For this small town

Southern man

Then a few years later

Came another

A boy he wasn't planned

Seven people

Living all together

In a house built

With his own hands

Little words with love

And understanding

From a small town

Southern man

And he bowed his head

To Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

He was always proud

Of what he had

He said his

Greatest contribution

Is the ones you leave behind

Raised on the ways

And gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Callous hands told the story

For this small town

Southern man

He gave it all to

Keep it all together

And keep his family

On his land

Like his daddy

Years wore out his body

Made it hard just to

Walk and stand

You can break the back

But you can't

Break the spirit

Of a small town Southern man

And he bowed his head

To Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

He was always proud of

What he had

He said his

Greatest contribution

Is the ones you leave behind

Raised on the ways

And gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Finally death came callin'

For this small town

Southern man

He said it's alright '

Cause I see angels

And they got me by the hand

Don't you cry

And don't you worry

I'm blessed

And I know I am

'Cause God has

A place in Heaven

For a small town Southern man

And he bowed his head

To Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

He was always proud of

What he had

He said his

Greatest contribution

Is the ones you leave behind

Raised on the ways

And gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Raised on the ways

And gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man