spoken) l once had a sweetheart, the fairest of maidens
She outshined all others that l'd known by far
I had a friend, big fella, name of big harlan taylor
Harlan had a rubber-tyred new shiny car

Oh the ways of the world, and the wants of a woman
If l figured them all out, 'twould take many years

By the wants of a woman she fell for big harlan
L tried but in vain for to take my own life
Suddenly l had lost all my will to keep livin'
She'd lost her desire to become my young wife

Oh the ways of the world, and the wants of a woman
If l figured them all out, 'twould take many years

(spoken) well l wanted revenge, and waylaid for big harlan
Then l started wondering, what good would it do?
If a rubber-tyred new shiny car's her ambition
Then l'll just let her have it, and big harlan too

Oh the ways of the world, and the wants of a woman
If l figured them all out, 'twould take many years
If l figured them all out, 'twould take many years