I walked alone on some old highway Tryin hard to bum a ride When a grey haired man, pulled up beside me Grinned at me, as I climbed inside He said son, where are you going Now wont you tell me, just where youre from I said Im broke and awful lonely And I feel I cant go on [Chorus] Ive been down below rock bottom Ive been tossed out and left for dead Ive had my share of stormy weather Now Im beat down and hangin by a thread He just smiled and said thats nothing You ought to see the shape Im in I was born in a depression I had no shoes, til I was ten I fought a war when I turned twenty I left two kids and a worried wife Lost a friend two days from leavin And I still owe that boy my life [Chorus] Ive been down below rock bottom Ive been tossed out and left for dead Ive had my share of stormy weather Now Im beat down and hangin by a thread Ive got scars from years of living An aching back from debts I paid So dont tell me about your troubles Seems to me, youve got it made Well, he dropped me off, this side of Knoxville As he put out his cigarette He shook my hand, slipped me a twenty Left me with something, I wont soon forget [Chorus] Ive been down below rock bottom Ive been tossed out and left for dead Ive had my share of stormy weather Now Im beat down and hangin by a thread Yeah, Im beat down and hangin by a thread
thread, hangin, tossed, stormy, beat