Lyrics

Once a month she leaves the city
For that gravel country drive
Trades the traffic and the deadlines
’Cause no matter what the world calls her
She's still his little girl

He meets her in the doorway
Calls her Mama’s name at first
Spends the afternoon retelling
How they met that night at church
Fourth of July and fireworks
Said he knew she was his world
How he taught her stickshift on those back roads
grinding gears, his little girl

Every visit feels a little shorter
Like borrowed time
Each time she leaves the gravel drive
Carrying more weight on her mind
They call it the long goodbye
But when she looks into his eyes
She can see the man on the inside

He sits there in his armchair
Staring at that picture frame
Wedding vows and Fourth of July
Faces he can’t always name
What used to be just one quick hug
On the porch now steals the night
’Cause each time she turns to go
He holds that goodbye just a little more tight

Every visit feels a little shorter
Like borrowed time
Each time she leaves the gravel drive
Carrying more weight on her mind
They call it the long goodbye
But when she looks into his eyes
She can see the man on the inside

He might forget her name
Lose the faces and the years
But there’s One who’s never shaken
Counts each heartbeat, knows each teer
When this long goodbye is over
And his mind is clear and bright
The Lord will still be holding tight
To the man on the inside

Every visit feels a little shorter
Like borrowed time
Each time she leaves the gravel drive
Carrying more weight on her mind
They call it the long goodbye
But when she looks into his eyes
She knows God sees the man on the inside