Well, out of Southern Illinois come a down home country boy
He's gonna make it in the city playin' guitar in the studio
Oh 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

Hello Mama 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 gets 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

Hello Mama 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