Story Behind The Song

Ballad of a hooker with a heart of gold...

Song Description

Girl is raised by her brother, since their mother is in prison. She takes to the road at 15, becomes a prostitute to support herself. Her brother dies, she meets her father thru a twist of fate and learns he left them because he was running from the law.

Lyrics

Long Way From Home music and lyrics by Yarrow Ann
©2006 Yarrow Ann Pellbring


Momma was in prison when I was a child
My brother brought me up kinda free and wild
I took to the road when I was barely fifteen
The first man that had me Lord, was dirty and mean

But I'm a long way from home
Livin' out on my own
I ain't doin' no wrong
Just doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
to get along

Well I take money from men I don't know
They take me to places I don't want to go
They want me to show them the tricks of my trade
But they don't get nothing til I've been paid

But I'm a long way from home
Livin' out on my own
I ain't doin' no wrong
Just doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
To get along

I think about my brother on the day he died
He said "what's important darlin's what's inside.
Some things you sell, some are free
And don't you let them tell you what a lady should be"

"Cause I'm a long way from home
Livin' out on my own
I ain't doin' no wrong
Just doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
Doin' what I have to
To get along

I only knew my daddy from a photo I'd seen
My brother always told me he was no good and mean
But I met him yesterday thru a twist of fate
And I found I really liked the man I thought I'd always hate

He's a long way from home
Livin' out on his own
Runnin' from the law
He was doin' what he had to
Doin' what he had to
Doin' what he had to
To get along