San Francisco Mable Joy
Mickey Newbury Lyrics

Lord, his daddy was an honest man, just a red dirt Georgia farmer
The singer's father was a truthful man who made a living as a farmer in rural Georgia.

His momma lived her short life having kids and baling hay
The singer's mother spent her brief life bearing children and doing manual labor on the farm.

He had fifteen years and an ache inside to wander
At the age of 15, the singer felt restless and wanted to explore the world outside of his small town.

So he hopped a freight at Waycross and wound up in L.A.
He boarded a train in Waycross and ended up in Los Angeles, seeking adventure and new experiences.

Well, the cold nights had no pity on that Waycross Georgia farm boy
The harsh evenings were unforgiving to the artist, a rural boy from Waycross, Georgia.

Most days he went hungry, then the summer came
He frequently went without food, until the summer season arrived.

He met a girl known on the strip, San Francisco's Mabel Joy
He encountered a woman working in the entertainment industry, known as San Francisco's Mabel Joy.

Destitution's child born on an L.A. street called Shame
Mabel Joy grew up impoverished, born and raised on a street in Los Angeles known for its stigma.

Growing up came quietly in the arms of Mabel Joy
The artist matured emotionally and mentally, thanks to the love and support of Mabel Joy.

Laughter found their mornings to be the meaning to his life
The joyful moments they shared in the morning became the most important aspect of his life.

Now the night before she left sleep came
The evening prior to her departure, the singer struggled to fall asleep.

And left that Waycross country boy
The thought of Mabel Joy leaving him behind emotionally affected the artist, who was still a country boy at heart.

With dreams of Georgia cotton and a California wife
He held onto the hope of finding a woman like Mabel Joy in California, while reminiscing about the cotton fields of Georgia.

Sunday morning found him standin 'neath the red light at her door
On a Sunday morning, he went to Mabel Joy's place, standing beneath the red light near her doorway.

A right cross sent him reeling, put him face down on the floor
He was hit with a powerful punch that knocked him down onto the ground.

In place of Mabel Joy he found a merchant mad marine
Instead of Mabel Joy, he encountered an angry and aggressive merchant marine.

Who growled, 'Your Georgia neck is red but Sonny, you're still green'
The man insulted him, saying that although he was from Georgia, he was still naive and inexperienced.

So he turned twenty one in a gray rock federal prison
The singer was imprisoned in a federal correctional facility when he reached the age of 21.

That old judge had no mercy for that Waycross Georgia boy
The judge was harsh and unforgiving towards the singer, who hailed from Waycross, Georgia.

Staring at those four gray walls in silence, learning he would listen
He spent his time in prison reflecting on his mistakes and the wisdom he could gain from them.

To that midnight freight he knew could take him back to Mabel Joy
He knew that the midnight train could transport him back to Mabel Joy, who he deeply missed.

With a bullet in his side, he cried, 'Have you seen Mabel Joy?'
He was injured from a gunshot wound when he asked if anyone had seen Mabel Joy.

Stunned and shaken someone said
Someone was taken aback and emotionally affected by his request.

Son, she don't live here no more
He was informed that Mabel Joy no longer lived in the residence.

She left this house four years today
Mabel Joy had departed from the house four years prior.

They say she's looking for some Georgia farm boy
Rumors circulated that Mabel Joy was searching for a Georgia farm boy.