TheyÂve got telephone poles where our trees had been
They ripped up our pasture, put a sidewalk in
Yeah, the big voice of Progress said, ÂYouÂve gotta go!Â
ÂWeÂre gonna lay us a black-top road, WeÂre gonna lay us a black-top roadÂ
Well they tore down the house my great granddaddy built
Where my grandpa was born and my Mama took her first steps
But nobody cared about the stories it told
The spot was just right for a black-top road
Was the perfect spot for a black-top road
Black-top road, black top road, theyÂre gonna lay them a black-top road
DonÂt you try to complain, you just do as youÂre told
Get out the way of that black-top road
Grandma planted these flowers back when she was my age
And they still bloom here every year, Âthough sheÂs gone to her grave
But they wonÂt be here tomorrow and that I know
TheyÂre gonna pave Âem right over with a Black-top Road
Cover Âem over with a black-top road. We cried, ÂThis canÂt happen in the U.S.AÂ
They said, ÂYouÂd better shut up or weÂll take your farm awayÂ
But then theyÂd thought theyÂd be friendly
Maybe throw us a bone: They slapped our family name on that Black-Top Road
Now our family nameÂs on that Black-Top Road