I was raised in the shadows of an old cotton mill

Back when believin' was the style

Small town heaven and a big-eyed boy

Made sweet music for a while

My daddy worked hard down at the factory

Nights he went to G.I. school

He didn't know nothin' 'bout the silver spoon

But he lived by the golden rule



Summer nights he was gone me and mama stayed home

Out on the front porch swing

Wishin' on the stars in the southern sky

And sometimes we used to sing



We were leaning, leaning on

The everlasting arms of love

Livin' all those simple joys

This Dixie boy is made of



Got my real education from the T.V. station

And good ole boys down at the park

The say "Hey, Willie" and those rock-a-billies

Made their way into my heart



I remember the old folks sittin' 'round talkin'

On laidback Sunday afternoons

They said them young folks sure got a hard road

Oh, they're growin' up too soon



Now I know they were right, and as I sit here tonight

Out on the front porch swing

The stars are shinin' in my young boy's eyes

Just like they did for me



We are leaning, leaning on

The everlasting arms of love

Livin' all those simple joys

This Dixie boy is made of



We are leaning, leaning on

The everlasting arms of love

Livin' all those simple joys

This Dixie boy is made of