and raised on country ways
And nursed by the verse of a good book
I grew up on the outskirts of Louisiana
In a place called Willoughby Brook
Sisters and brothers, uncles and cousins
We all lived in the same town
We wore old clothes
that the neighbors gave us
Second -hand shoes and
hand -me -downs
But I wish I had to go back home
And take a second look at
Willoughby Brook
Lord, I wish I had to turn the page
To my days at Willoughby Brook
I still laugh about the day
my brother got caught trying to
play no different school
And mama made a switch
from an old willow tree
and whip him like he stole a government mule
I can still see papa playing
checkers and dominoes
and mama wore a head rag in the kitchen
And grandma was down at
the churchyard singing,
give me that old time revision
But I wish I could go back home
and take a second look at will I be broken
Lord, I wish I could turn the place
to my days that will be good
Buttermilk and cornbread
Tater pies, papa's homemade wine
Kick the can and hide and seek
Let me see yours,
I'll let you see mine
Now I look around at the city I live in
With its ghettos and its crowded
neighborhoods
Friendship and brotherhood's
a thing of the past
And understanding is so
misunderstood
They're raising up the prices,
the world's in a crisis
You can't buy the food you need
You can't trust politics
Ashamed of the government
And choking on the air you breathe
Lord, I wish I could go back home
And take a second look at
Willoughby Brook
Lord, I wish I could turn the page
To my days at Willoughby Brook
Lord, I wanna go back home
And take a second look at
Willoughby Brook
Lord, I wish I could turn the page
to my days at Willoughby Brook
Lord, I want to go back home
where the air is clean
Lord, and the grass is green
Down at Willoughby Brook
Down at Willoughby Brook
Down at Willoughby Brook
When I hear Reverend Peterson
preaching every Sunday morning
Oh, I'm down at Willoughby River
I wanna go see my sister
I wanna go see my brother
I wanna sit on the bench
Maybe do a little fishing, y 'all
Yeah, down at Willoughby River
I'm coming back to the place
like the day at Willoughby River
I wanna go see my mama
I'm gon na see my mama,
I'm gonna sit on the steps. you