Daddy sits on the front porch swingin' Looking out on a vacant field Used to be filled with burley tobacco Now he knows it never will My brother found work in Indiana Sister's a nurse at the old folks' home Mama's still cooking too much for supper And me, I been a long time gone Been a long time gone No I ain't hoed a row since I don't know when Long time gone And it ain't comin' back again Delia plays that old church piano Sittin' out on her daddy's farm She always thought that we'd be together Lord, I never meant to do her harm Said she could hear me singing in the choir Me I heard another song I caught wind and hit the road runnin' And Lord I been a long time gone Been a long time gone Lord I ain't had a prayer since I don't know when Long time gone And it ain't comin' back again Now me, I went to Nashville Trying to be the big deal Playing down on Broadway Getting there the hard way Living from a tip jar Sleeping in my car Hocking my guitar Yeah I'm gonna be a star Now me and Deliah Singing every Sunday Watching the children and the garden grow Listen to the radio to hear what's cooking But the music ain't got no soul Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard They got money but they don't have Cash They got Junior but they don't have Hank I think, I think, I think the rest is A long time gone No I ain't hit the roof since I don't know when Long time gone And it ain't coming back I said a long time gone No I ain't honked a horn since I don't know when Long time gone And it ain't coming back again I said a long time, long time, long time gone Whoa, it's been a long time Long time, long time, long time gone Oh, it's been a long... time... gone Long time, long time, long time gone