WELL I FANNED A FLAME FOR MARY
THAT WENT OUT WHEN YOU ARRIVED
BUT HOWEVER WRONG THE REASONS
STAYED THE COURSE AND MADE A LIFE
AROUND A FRIEND I THOUGHT
WOULD BE A BETTER WIFE
AND I PRETENDED I COULD LEAVE
AND NEVER WRITE

BUT I COUNTED ON THE MEMORY
OF YOUR LOVE TO FEEL ALIVE
WHEN THE LIFE THAT I WAS LEADING
HAD CONVINCED MY HEART TO DIE
THROUGH ALL THE YEARS I LOST TO FEARS
AND KNEW WERE LIES
WHEN ALL THE TEARS I FOUGHT APPEARED
AND STILL DENIED

MY DREAMS ARE ALL DEVOTED
AND MY THOUGHTS ALWAYS DRIFT TO YOU
MY WIFE ADMITS WE'RE FOND BUT NOT IN LOVE
WHAT HOPE WAS LEFT ERODED
NOW THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

I KNOW IT'S WRONG TO TELL YOU NOW
THOUGH MUCH TO MY DISMAY
SO HEAR THE WORDS I LOVE YOU WHEN I SAY,
"HOWDY, EAST ORANGE"

NOW THE THINGS I USED TO HOPE FOR
ALL GET PUT UP ON THE SHELF
WITH A WIFE AND KIDS TO CARE FOR
THERE'S NO MORE LIVING FOR MYSELF
I WATCH BELIEFS I HELD GET BURIED IN THE PAST
WITH ALL THE NEEDS I THOUGHT
TO PLEASE BUT KNEW WERE LAST

MY DREAMS ARE ALL DEVOTED
AND MY THOUGHTS ALWAYS DRIFT TO YOU
MY WIFE ADMITS WE'RE FOND BUT NOT IN LOVE
WHAT HOPE WAS LEFT ERODED
NOW THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

I'M SORRY DOESN'T SAY IT NOW
FOR SUCH A LONG DELAY
BUT HEAR THE WORDS I LOVE YOU WHEN I SAY,
"HOWDY, EAST ORANGE"

HOW MANY YEARS ARE LEFT
TO WASTE ON DREAMING?
HOW MANY YEARS WERE LOST ALONG THE WAY?
I TRIED TO MAKE THE BEST
BUT NOW I'M SCREAMING
IT ONLY MADE IT WORSE TO LONG TO SAY

MY DREAMS ARE ALL DEVOTED
AND MY THOUGHTS ALWAYS DRIFT TO YOU
MY WIFE ADMITS WE'RE FOND BUT NOT IN LOVE
WHAT HOPE WAS LEFT ERODED
NOW THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW
BUT LATER ON IT MAY
SO HEAR THE WORDS I LOVE YOU WHEN I SAY,
"HOWDY, EAST ORANGE"

THOUGH WE'RE NOT TOGETHER NOW
YOU'RE NOT TOO FAR AWAY
TO HEAR THE WORDS I LOVE YOU WHEN I SAY,
"HOWDY, EAST ORANGE"