Lily of the Alley

[Verse 1] In the spring of nineteen forty-one a young girl bloomed in Georgia Her eyes were the deepest shade of blue Her heart was pure as the morning dew She had a smile that everybody seemed to talk about But a stranger'd moved to town that year He changed her life one rainy night against her will He had his own way with her and innocence just withered away From the Lily of the valley [Verse 2] Late that fall she had to move away to have a baby Cause the rumor began to grow A planted seed began to show She was the one that everybody seemed to talk about Times were hard and the choice just wasn't hers To go out on the streets at night trading favors for survival On the lower part of town she was known As Lily of the alley [Chorus] She never stood a chance She fell victim to life's circumstance But life goes on when you're fighting to survive Sometimes I guess you've got the right to be wrong A rose by any other name is known As the Lily of the alley [Verse 3] Mama never had a chance to make an honest livin' But there was always food for me to eat And shoes were always on my feet I was all that Mama ever cared about I never knew who Daddy was But Mama's twice the person that he could ever be And even though she raised me on the back streets, in my mind She'll always be The Lily of the valley [Chorus] She never stood a chance She fell victim to life's circumstance But life goes on when you're fighting to survive Sometimes I guess you've got the right to be wrong A rose by any other name is known As the Lily of the alley