Text: Tom T. Hall. Back When The Old Homeplace Was New.

Well, the children come back to see the old homeplace
They don't see a thing that they like
The old well out back with its cool clear water
Don't fit into their style of life

The old gravel road that leads to the old homeplace
Gets dust on their new shiny cars
Well, they didn't complain about nothing to do
Back when the old homeplace was new

Back when the old homeplace was new
There was plenty to see and to do
But they can't remember and I ain't gonna tell 'em
Back when the old homeplace was new

There's an old swimming hole about a half mile away
An' old tire still swings from a tree
I've got an old jar full of lightening and bugs
And a dogfishin' weren't just today

They can't get on line from my old telephone
And I ain't got no cable TV
Oh, we used to tell stories and some of them true
Back when the old homepclace was new

Back when the old homeplace was new
There was plenty to see and to do
But they can't remember and I ain't gonna tell 'em
Back when the old homeplace was new

Well, the toys they treasured are stashed in the attic
Except for a rusty old bike
There's a big ball of string in a drawer in the kitchen
They used to use flying their kites

There's a battered old can out there by the toolshed
An old can that they used to kick
They sit on the porch and they stare down the driveway
They just can't see living like this

Back when the old homeplace was new
There was plenty to see and to do
But they can't remember and I ain't gonna tell 'em
Back when the old homeplace was new