Grew up down a back road you wouldn’t know
Grew up on an old country homestead
In a town of 20 never needed much
Just some place to lay his head

A drifter he won’t give you
Gifts of diamonds and gold
He’ll give you a good story
And he so hard to hold

Brought up alone long enough
To function without anyone else
Some family, two friends
Just the world and himself

Mamas don’t let your babies be drifters
They may know about the world so much
But they shy from daylight, shy away from people
They don’t look for another’s sympathetic touch

Drifters don’t need relationships
It’s just a tie that doth bind
They don’t need anyone much at all
Just ride off in the world see what they can find


Mamas don’t let your babies be drifters
People of great minds and a great love of a drink
They’re not going to try and impress you
They’ll just go ahead and let you think what you think

Drifters are free-living people
Is this really someone you want to choose?
Freedom is just another word
For nothing left to lose.