Abilene airport, six a.m.
He had a teary little woman hangin' onto him
Sayin', Promise me Billy
You'll call me when you reach L.A.

He said, I'm keepin' your number, honey right up here
He was tappin' on his temple
But the point was clear
He had no intention of ever comin' back no way

He was long gone
Long, long gone
Skippin' like a stone
He packed up his heart and he was long gone

Two packs of peanuts and a Canada Dry
Had him thinkin' what a luxury it was to fly
It was the best way out
Of a love that wasn't meant to last

All those fightin' words she used used to love to hear
Like "whatever" and "whatever you want my dear"
Are just memories now
Something in the distant past

He was long gone
Long, long gone
Skippin' like a stone
He packed up his heart and he was long gone

Nine months later on a TV show
He saw a teary little woman that he used to know
She said, Lord yes, Oprah, he left me back in Abilene

She flashed his picture for the world to see
And said, If anybody knows this lousy SOB
Tell him, Junior's hungry
There ain't nothin' in this world that's free

He was long gone
Long, long gone
Skippin' like a stone
He packed up his heart and he was long gone

He was gone, long gone...