Well I left my home out on the great High Plains
Headed for some new terrain
Standin' on the highway with my coffe cup
A' Wonderin' who was gonna pick me up
I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by
I had my hopes up high

Well, the first ride I got was in a dynamite truck
The driver kept a' tellin' me his bad luck
As we swerved around the curves I began to shout
Hey-ey mister would you let me out
I had my hopes up high--I never though that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by
I had my hopes up high

And the next ride I got was with a man in trouble
The beard on his face was all in a stubble
Runnin' from the law he was goin' ninety-nine,
I said hey-ey mister you're out of your mind
I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by
I had my hopes up high

Oh, the next ride I got was with a preacher man
Told me that the wicked would be buried in sand
Don't know why I did it but I lost control
Hey-ey Papa would you save my soul
I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by
I had my hopes up high

And I finally got a ride on a carnival train
Nearly blew away in a hurricane
I got to thinkin' bout that preacher down in Louisianne
Sittin' on the Delta Siftin' sand
I had my hopes up high--I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said good-by
I had my hopes up high