Outside Looking In

Daddy drove off one rainy night
Half drunk with the cookie jar cash
Mama laid still in the bed with her Bible
Her heart beating loud and fast
The scratches and bruises would heal up fine
But not the broken heart inside
She was all cried out a long time ago
How could daddy be so unkind

My little brother and me heard it all
Like every other time before
Little brother shivered a sigh of relief
When daddy slammed the old truck door
I said a little prayer for daddy and me
For the terrible thing I’d done
His truck wouldn’t make it ‘round dead man’s curve
With that rusty old brake line cut

There’s a white picket fence all around the yard
And we keep a little night light on
It looks just right if you just drive by
You wouldn’t know there was anything wrong
Just leave a little room in your heart for me
If you don’t know where I’ve been
When you’re outside looking in

We buried daddy one rainy day
Everybody came crying from town
But i didn’t hear one word of truth
About the man we put in the ground
Mama just stood there biting her lip
Little brother squeezed my hand
I just stared off into the rain
Daddy’s friends didn’t understand

There’s a white picket fence all around the yard
And we keep a little night light on
It looks just right if you just drive by
You wouldn’t know there was anything wrong
Just leave a little room in your heart for me
If you don’t know where I’ve been
When you’re outside looking in

I never would have had to tell a soul
Could have kept it in the family tree
But the sheriff came around to take my mama
For murder in the first degree
I’m not saying what I did was right or wrong
But I’m not losing any sleep
I’m turning twenty-one behind cell bars
With the truth about daddy and me

There’s a barbed-wire fence all around the yard
And they leave a big night light on
It looks just right if you just drive by
You wouldn’t know there was anything wrong
But leave a little room in your heart for me
If you don’t know where I’ve been
When you’re outside… when you’re outside
When you’re outside looking in