Bought my ticket, took that bus
One cold Monday morning
Mid-September, Nineteen-Sixty-Three, I
Paid no heed to the warning
But they said, don't go too far out from here
It's twice as far returning
Looking back I could see nothing for the smoke
From the bridges I was burning
And it's a long way back down to where I come from
And I've got nothing to forget
There's a list of things here I have to do
And I've hardly started yet
Well, I've been close to trouble, I've been close to death
I've been close to some fine women
There are places where I'm always welcome and
Some where they say, "Don't let him in"
But I've spent my time in company
That was faithful and was trying
Like that black-eyed girl from Birmingham
Who was with me when I was crying
And it's a long way back down to where I come from
And I've got nothing to forget
There's a list of things here I have to do
And I've hardly started yet
I've hardly started yet
Ohh well, I've spent my time working for the day
When I can leave this joke behind me
And I don't need you making token gestures
That casually remind me
That I'm stuck out here at the break of dawn
With my faculties diminished
That little Hazel has to wait, but it won't be long
'Til I get this damn song finished
And it's a long way back down to where I come from
And I've got nothing to forget
But there's a list of things here I have to do
And I've hardly started yet
I've hardly started yet
I've hardly started yet
I've hardly started yet