I Had My Hopes up High

[Verse 1]
Well I left my home out on the Great High Plains
Headed for some new terrain
Standing on the highway with my coffee cup
A-wonderin' who was gonna pick me up

[Chorus]
I had my hopes up high
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high

[Verse 2]
Well, the first ride I got was in a dynamite truck
The driver kept tellin' me his bad luck
As we swerved around the curves I began to shout
I said, "Hey mister, would you let me out?"

[Chorus]
I had my hopes up high
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I'd ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high

[Guitar and Pedal Steel Solos]

[Verse 3]
And the next ride I got was with a man in trouble
The beard on his face was all in a stubble
Running from the law, he was goin' ninety-nine
I said hey mister you're out of your mind

[Chorus]
I had my hopes up high
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I'd ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high

[Verse 4]
Oh, the next ride I got was with a preacher man
Told me that the wicked would be buried in sand
And don't know why I did it but I lost control
I said, "Hey Papa would you save my soul?"

[Chorus]
I had my hopes up high
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I'd ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high

[Verse 5]
And I finally got a ride on a carnival train
Nearly blew away in a hurricane
I got to thinking 'bout that preacher down in Louisianne
Now I'm sittin' on the Delta sifting sand

[Chorus]
I had my hopes up high
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I'd ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high

[Outro]
I never thought that I
Would ever wonder why I'd ever said goodbye
I had my hopes up high