Mary took to running with a travelin' man   Left her momma crying with her head in her hands   Such a sad case, so broken hearted      She say, "Momma, I got to go, I got to get out of here   I got to get out of town; I'm tired of hanging around   I got to roll on between the ditches"      It's just an ordinary story about the way things go   Round and around nobody knows   But the highway goes on forever   That ol' highway rolls on forever   Lord she never would've done it if she hadn't got drunk      If she hadn't started running with a travelin' man   If she hadn't started taking those crazy changes   She say, "Daughter, let me tell you about the travelin' kind   Everywhere he's going such a very short time   He'll be long gone before you know it   He'll be long gone before you know it"   She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good   Never have I knew it when I knew I could   Never have I done it when it looked so right   Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight"      This is down in the swampland, anything goes   It's alligator bait and the bars don't close   It's the real thing down in Louisiana      Did you ever see a cajun when he really got mad?   When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad?   It gets real hot down in Louisiana      The stranger better move it or he's going to get killed   He's going to have to get it or a shotgun will   It ain't no time for lengthy speeches   There ain't no time for lengthy speeches   She say, "Never have I know it when it felt so good   Never have I knew it when I knew I could   Never have I done it when it looked so right   Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight"      It's just an ordinary story about the way things go   Round and around nobody knows   But the highway goes on forever   There ain't no way to stop the water