Reason To Believe

(album: Nebraska - 1982)

Seen a man standing over a dead dog lying by the highway in a ditch
He's looking down kinda puzzled poking that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open he's standing out on highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough that dog'd get up and run
Struck me kinda funny seem kinda funny sir to me
Still at the end of every hard day people find some reason to believe

Now Mary Lou loved Johnny with a love mean and true
She said baby I'll work for you everyday and bring my money home to you
One day he up and left her and ever since that
She waits down at the end of that dirt road for young Johnny to come back
Struck me kinda funny funny yea indeed how at the end of every hard earned day you can find some reason to believe

Take a baby to the river Kyle William they called him
Wash the baby in the water take away little Kyle's sin
In a whitewash shotgun shack an old man passes away take the body to the graveyard and over him they pray Lord won't you tell us,
Tell us what does it mean
At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe

Congregation gathers down by the riverside
Preacher stands with his bible, groom stands waiting for his bride
Congregation gone and the sun sets behind a weeping willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on so effortlessly
Wondering where can his baby be still at the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe