Friday night's pay night, guys fresh out of work
talking about the weekend, scrubbing off the dirt
some heading home to their families, some looking to get hurt
some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts

I work for the county out on 95
all day I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by
in my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss
someday, mister, I'm gonna lead a better life than this

Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
working on the highway, working on the highway

I met her at a dance down at the union hall
she was standing with her brothers, back up against the wall
sometimes we'd go walking down the union tracks
one day I looked straight at her and she looked straight back

So I'm working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
working on the highway, working on the highway

Saved up my money and I put it all away
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
"Son, can't you see that she's just a little girl
she don't know nothing about this cruel, cruel world"

We lit out down to Florida, we got along all right
one day her brothers came and got her and they took me in a black and white
the prosecutor kept the promise that he made on that day
and the judge got mad and he put me straight away
I wake up every morning to the work bell clang
me and the warden go swinging on the Charlotte County road gang

Working on the highway, laying down the blacktop
working on the highway, all day long I don't stop
working on the highway, blasting through the bedrock
working on the highway, working on the highway

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