He stopped at Fifth on Broad near where the Opry used to be

For one last tiny thought of singing there in '53

He walked into a pawnshop with a ring of gold and watch of silver

Then he continued east on Broad Street on his way down to the river

He stopped at Third on Broad dropped his envelope in a mailbox

A hundred bucks from Maud his old friend from the Broadway nightspot

The world had passed him by and he had nothing more to give her

So he continued east on Broad Street on his way down to the river

He stopped at First on Broad he saw the barges and the bridge

A ship was comin' in and he thought Lord mine never did

Some say it was on purpose while some others beg to differ

They say he slipped and fell on his way down to the river