E 
I gave my woman half my money at the general store  
                                         B  
I said, "Now buy a little groceries, and don't spend no more."  
    E 
But she gave ten dollars for a ten cent hat  
                A                              B         E 
And bought some store bought cat food for that mean eyed cat 
 
When I woke up this mornin' and I turned my head  
There wasn't a cotton pickin' thing on her side of the bed  
I found a little old note where her head belonged  
It said, "Dear John, honey, baby, I'm long gone."  
 
Chorus 1: 
       A 
When I heard a whistle blowin,' and the big wheels a-turnin'  
      E 
I was scared as I could be  
E                          A 
I put on my overalls and I headed to town  
      B                   E 
Gonna bring her back with me 
 
 
I asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her there  
I told him all about her pretty eyes and long, blonde hair  
He spit his tobacco, said, "I'll be dad blamed  
I believe I did see her leavin' on the east bound train."  
 
 
Chorus 2: 
I bought a round trip ticket on the east bound train  
I was broke as I could be  
But when I come back, gotta buy another ticket  
Gotta bring her back with me.  
 
 
Well, I got off the train somewhere in Arkansas  
And I worked up the guts to call my Mother-In-Law  
She said, "I'll tell you where she is, if you act right."  
"She's workin' four to twelve at Trucker's World tonight."  
 
 
Chorus 3: 
When I walked in she saw me, and she took off her apron  
And she grabbed her goin' home hat, she bought a ticket with her tips  
And now we're curled up on the sofa,  
Me and her and that mean eyed cat