If I had wings I would fly Over the river and into the night And if I had wheels I would roll Ten years of dreams tethered to my soul Well, it's 59 miles to Memphis Ain't really that far to go With a little money in your pocket It'll get you right down that road But all I got are these voices Telling me this is your life Tobacco fields, textile mills or Be some roughneck's wife If I had wings I would fly Over the river and into the night And if I had wheels I would roll Ten years of dreams tethered to my soul And if I had wings So I get up every morning And fix his coffee strong Then he stumbles into the kitchen Acting like nothing's wrong And that hurts worse than the bruises But what cuts deeper still Dark and jagged in my soul An emptiness that kills If I had wings I would fly Over the river and into the night And if I had wheels I would roll Ten years of dreams tethered to my soul And if I had wings Well, I guess they must heard it All the way to Arkansas Momma said call the preacher I just called the Lord 'Cause this ain't no place for angels No time for talk of sin We all knew sooner or later It was gonna be me or him If I had wings I would fly Over the river and into the night And if I had wheels I would roll Ten years of dreams tethered to my soul But if I had wings