Melody by Tom Hall; Lyrics by Jeannie C. Riley
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Y'all remember Harper Valley
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And the Harper Valley PTA
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Well, have you ever wondered where they are
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And what those folks are doin' today
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Now, things have changed a lot,
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But we all seem to understand things better by and by
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Now, my daughter is the mother of two children
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At the Harper Valley High
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Well, the daughter came to see me
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Sellin' tickets for the high school dance
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I could win a brand new album by some Stray Cats
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If I'd only buy a chance
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Well, I bought the tickets and the chance
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To win a brand new rock 'n' roll LP
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And when Friday came, I walked into the place
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My dress was well below my knees
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Now, Mr. Harper took my ticket and
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He smiled at me sober as a judge
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Shirley Thompson, she was there with him
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She shook my hand and then gave me a hug
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Ya know, they're married now, and my,
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They look so happy and contented side by side
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And to my surprise, Bobby Taylor never
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Took his eyes off of his wife
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Mr. Baker stirred the punch
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It was lemonade with nothin' on the side
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His secretary smiled at me
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And said she was so happy as his bride
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Widow Jones is dead, she and a young kid
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Missed a curve on Lover's Lane
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Mr. Kelley's gone, he drank until
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They said it took his liver and his brain
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Now, the music started up
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And it was louder than a thunder storm in May
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Well, I stood there and I laughed
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To see the way the kids all get their kicks today
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Then I saw a man who gave a cigarette
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To some small kid too young to smoke
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He was a full-grown man and he was set up
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In the parkin' lot sellin' dope
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Well, I walked around the place
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And saw the drummer sniffin' powder up his nose
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Then I walked out through the parkin' lot
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And saw these kids were takin' off their clothes
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They were drinkin' beer and poppin' pills
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And actin' like they were all havin' fun
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I got so mad, I thought at first I'd go
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Back to the house and get a gun
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Then I went back to my home and took
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My Bible out and said a little prayer
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Now, tomorrow, I can tell 'em that
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God loves 'em and I tell 'em that I care
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I think back fifteen years ago when
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I was wild and wore a mini skirt
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Ain't no way I can explain the things I did
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Or the people that I hurt
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Well, the music keeps on ringin' in my ears
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And I can hear the drummer's beat
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I can see the way things are and I can see
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The way the kids are thinkin' needs
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Well, tomorrow afternoon, the PTA'll meet
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And I got things to say
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To a brand new generation of the Harper Valley PTA
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To a brand new generation of the Harper Valley PTA
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Return To Harper Valley
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| Jeannie C. Riley |
