I gave my woman half my money at the general storeI said, now buy little groceries and don't spend no moreBut she paid ten dollars for a ten-cent hatAnd bought some store-bought cat food for that mean-eyed catWhen I woke up this morning and I turned my headThere wasn't a cotton-pickin' thing on her side of the bedI found a little old note where her head belongedIt said, Dear John, honey baby, I'm long goneWhen I heard the whistle blowin' and the big wheels a-turnin'I was scared as I could beI put on my overalls and I headed to townGonna bring her back with meI asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her thereI told him all about her pretty eyes and long blonde hairHe spit his tobacco, said, I'll beat that blameI believe I did see her leavin' on the Eastbound trainI bought a round-trip ticket on the Eastbound trainI was broke as I could beBut when I come back I gotta buy another ticketGonna bring her back with meWell, I got off the train somewhere in ArkansasAnd I worked up the guts to call my mother-in-lawShe said, I'll tell you where she is if you act rightShe's workin' four to twelve at Trucker's World tonightWell, when I walked in she saw me and she took off her apronAnd she grabbed her goin' home hatShe bought a ticket with her tips, now we're curled up on a sofaMe and her and that mean-eyed catMe and her and that mean-eyed cat