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Cover Art

Southeastern Son Lyrics by Turnpike Troubadours

Goodbye Normal Street

2012

[Verse 1]
Well I guess I was born with a gun in my hand
We'd walk the big clearcuts in the pine timberland
Well the army man told me that I could defend the free
Aw and draw me a paycheck, get a tech-school degree
I said hey now Sergeant, that sure does sound fine
Well the sawmill ain't hiring, tell me where do I sign

[Chorus]
Won't you light a lantern for me
I'll be gone but not for long
Won't you keep a candle burning
Won't you leave a porch light on

[Verse 2]
Well my hands are still steady and they still hold a gun
And this suit of a soldier for your Southeastern son
Well tell mom not to worry if she's taking it hard
Never thought I'd see action back when I joined the Guard
Well all this will be over more later than soon
As I wrote in a letter beneath the big Afghan moon

[Chorus]
Won't you light a lantern for me
I'll be gone but not for long
Won't you keep a candle burning
Won't you leave a porch light on

[Chorus]
Won't you light a lantern for me
I'll be gone but not for long
Won't you keep a candle burning
Won't you leave a porch light on

About “Southeastern Son” by Turnpike Troubadours

Read the complete lyrics to "Southeastern Son" by Turnpike Troubadours from the album "Goodbye Normal Street" in 2012. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country, Folk Rock, Americana.

"Southeastern Son" is performed by Turnpike Troubadours. from the album "Goodbye Normal Street" in 2012 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Southeastern Son", explore more songs by Turnpike Troubadours using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Turnpike Troubadours · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Southeastern Son" is credited to Turnpike Troubadours. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Southeastern Son" appears on "Goodbye Normal Street" in 2012.

Visit the Turnpike Troubadours artist page at /artist/turnpike-troubadours for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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