Well, I hope to tell you, Johnny, that I lay that rifle down   But leave the noose and the calaboose and headed for another town      Well, I've got your name in San Jose and your picture's there to see   And they're shootin' men in Texas just because they look like me      And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee   And we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be, meant to be      Maybe we could try Mexico and cross the desert sand   But they're guardin' 'cross the border 'case we swim the Rio Grande      And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee   And we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be, meant to be      Well, they'll rope and tie you, Johnny, and they'll throw you to the ground   And they'll let you hang a week or two 'fore they cut your body down      And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee   And we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be      And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee   And we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be, meant to be   Meant to be, meant to be, meant to be