She was only 16, didn't know the first thing about life
Just tryin' to do right & just doin' her Momma wrong
And her Daddy walked out, he was talked out, no more hangin' about
Tryin' to keep his happy face on, guess Papa ain't that strong

And he left his little girl in the middle of the night
She was calling out his name after hearing them fight

DADDY'S GONE, DADDY'S GONE MOVIN' ON
LEAVIN' MOMMA AT HOME HE FOUND ANOTHER WOMAN
NOW HE'S GONE
DADDY'S GONE LEAVING A LEGACY OF LOVE GONE WRONG

When she turned 21, she found the big city life
And the neon lights and drinkin' it up 'til dawn
Met her boyfriend Bill, who couldn't sit still, put her on the pill
And still she would wake up alone, who can run away from home

Bill was calling up his girl in the middle of the night
Said, "I'm not your old man who ain't doin' you right. Your...

DADDY'S GONE, DADDY'S GONE MOVIN' ON
LEAVIN' MOMMA AT HOME HE FOUND ANOTHER WOMAN
NOW HE'S GONE
DADDY'S GONE LEAVING A LEGACY OF LOVE GONE WRONG

At the age of 65, she was the single mother of nine
Every now and then she would praise her Momma to the Lord ]
And with tears in her eyes, she'd remember that night after hearing them fight
She would never trust a man, no, never again

With the graying in her hair and the wisdom of age
She would try to forgive the man no one could save
No one could save her