[Verse 1] Oh Mary took to running with a traveling man Left her momma crying with her head in her hands Such a sad case, so brokenhearted She say, "Momma, got to go, got to get out of here Got to get out of town, tired of hanging around I got to roll on between the ditches" It's just an ordinary story about the way things go Around and around, nobody knows But the highway goes on forever Oh, that old highway goes on forever [Verse 2] Lord, she never would've done it if she hadn't got drunk Hadn't started running with a traveling man If she hadn't started taking those crazy chances She said, "Daughter, let me tell you 'bout the traveling kind Everywhere they go such a very short time He'll be long gone before you know it Oh, he'll be long gone before you know it" [Chorus] She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never have I knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" [Verse 3] This is down in the swampland where anything goes It's alligator bait and the bars don't close It's the real thing down in Louisiana Did you ever see a Cajun when he really got mad? When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad It gets real hot down in Louisiana The stranger better move it or he's going to get killed He's going to have to get it or a shotgun will It ain't no time for lengthy speeches Lord, it ain't no time for lengthy speeches [Chorus] She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never ever knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" She say, "Never have I known it when it felt so good Never ever knew it when I knew I could Never have I done it when it looked so right Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight" [Outro] It's just an ordinary story about the way things go Around and around nobody knows But the highway goes on forever There ain't no way to stop the water