My grandaddy was a miner
But he finally saw the light
He didn't have much
Just a beat-up truck and a dream about a better life
Grandmama cried when she waved goodbye
You never heard such a lonesome sound

Pretty soon the dirt road turned
Into blacktop, Detroit City bound
Down that hillbilly highway
On That hillbilly highway
That old Hillbilly highway
Goes on and on

Now he worked and saved his money
So that one day he might send
My daddy off to college
To use his brains and not his hands
Grandmama cried when she waved goodbye
Never heard such a lonesome sound

But daddy had himself a good job in Houston
One more rollin' down
Down that old hillbilly highway
That old hillbilly highway
That old Hillbilly highway
Goes on and on
Now grandaddy rolled over in his grave
The day that I quit school
I just sat around the house playin' my guitar
Daddy said I was a fool
My mama cried when I said goodbye
I never heard such a lonesome sound

Now I'm standin' on this highway
And if you're going my way
You know where I'm bound
Down that old hillbilly highway
That old hillbilly highway
That old Hillbilly highway
Goes on and on...