Lily Of The Alley

(album: Shenandoah - 1987)

In the spring of 1941 a young girl bloomed in Georgia
Her eyes were the deepest shade of blue
Her heart was pure as morning dew
She had a smile that everybody seemed to talk about
But a stranger'd moved to town that year
He changered her life one rainy night against her will
He had his own way with her and innocence just withered away
From the Lily Of The Valley

Late that fall she had to move away to have a baby
'Cause the rumor began to grow
A planted seed began to show
She was the one that everybody seemed to talk about
Times were hard and the choice just wasn't hers
To go out on the streets at night trading favors for survival
On the lower part of town she was known
As the Lily Of The Alley

She never stood a chance
She fell victim to life's circumstance but life goes on
When you're fighting to survive
Sometimes I guess you've got the right to be wrong
A rose by any other name is known
As the Lily Of The Alley

Mama never had a chance to make an honest living
But there was always food for me to eat
And shoes were always on my feet
I was all that Mama ever cared about
I never knew who Daddy was
But Mama's twice the person that he could ever be
And even though she raised me on the back streets, in my mind
She'll always be the Lily Of The Valley

She never stood a chance
She fell victim to life's circumstance but life goes on
When you're fighting to survive
Sometimes I guess you've got the right to be wrong
A rose by any other name is known
As the Lily Of The Alley