Lyrics:

Well out of Southern Illinois come a down home country boy

He gonna make it in the city playin' guitar in the studio

Well he hadn't been there an hour, when he met a Broadway flower

You know she took him for his money and she left him in a cheap hotel

Oh well it's easy for you to see that that country boy is me

Say and how am I ever gonna break the news to the folks back home

Well I was gonna be a great success

Things sure ended up a mess

But in the process I got messed up too



Chorus:

Hello Mamma and Dad I had to call collect

'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name

Well I'm sleepin' in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'll be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission

Box number ten



Well back in Southern Illinois they're still worryin' 'bout their boy

But this boy's goin' home soon's he get's the fare

Because as soon as I got my bread

I got a pipe upside my head

You know they left me in an alley

Took my money and my guitar, too



Chorus