Just a little ol' boy about twelve years old, working on my daddy's farm   Gotta help him build an ol' chicken coop, gotta help him paint the barn   I was carryin' a load 'bout twice my size, not quite enough to brag   Papa just smiled and looked at me and said "Son let the loose end drag"      Son let the loose end drag   Son let the loose end drag   Papa just smiled and looked at me and said   Son let the loose end drag      When I got to be a man I started makin' plans to get me all the love that I can   I was sitting in a bar getting pretty far with a honey on my right hand   When up stepped a stud he was looking for blood 'cause the lady didn't come in stag   When you're caught in the middle you can bet your life that it'll be "Honey let the loose end drag"      Honey let the loose end drag   Honey let the loose end drag   When you're caught in the middle you can bet your life that it'll be   Honey let the loose end drag      Now my life is almost done every day I tell my son, the words my daddy handed down to me   You gotta hang on very tight to the things you know are right, let the fly-by-night things be   When the Devil calls your name and he says he won the game, and you know there ain't no turning back   When he says you're gonna die, you just spit right in his eye, and don't let the loose end drag      I ain't gonna let the loose end drag   I ain't gonna let the loose end drag   When he says you're gonna die, you just spit right in his eye, and don't let the loose end drag   I ain't gonna let the loose end drag