Born the middle son of a farmer

And a small town Southern man

Like his daddy’s daddy before him

Brought up workin’ on the land

Fell in love with a small town woman

And they married up and settled down

Natural way of life, if you’re lucky

For a small town Southern man

First there came four pretty daughters

For this small town Southern man

Then a few years later came another

A boy, he wasn’t planned

Seven people living all together

In a house built with his own hands

Little words, with love and understanding

From a small town Southern man

And he bowed his head to Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

Was always proud of what he had

He said his greatest contribution

Is the ones he'll leave behind

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Callous hands told the story

For this small town Southern man

He gave it all to keep it all together

And keep his family on his land

Like his daddy, years wore out his body

Made it hard just to walk and stand

You can break the back

But you can’t break the spirit

Of a small town Southern man

And he bowed his head to Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

Was always proud of what he had

He said his greatest contribution

Is the ones he'll leave behind

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Finally death came callin’

For this small town Southern man

He said, "It’s alright, ’cause I see angels

And they got me by the hand

Don’t you cry, and don’t you worry

I’m blessed, and I know I am

‘Cause God has a place in Heaven

For a small town Southern man"

And he bowed his head to Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

Was always proud of what he had

He said his greatest contribution

Is the ones he'll leave behind

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man