Snapping Turtle

You're a farm kid in a small town
You drive before the legal age
And I won't forget that day
When I drove up on some low-down kids
They were all huddled around
Poor snapping turtle
Taking turns with the stick
They were beating the hell out of it
So I asked if I could take a lick

When I raised my hand
I brought down the wrath of God himself
Beat those kids 'til they would cry now for help
I couldn't help myself
The blue, the turtle and the truck

Ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck

Leanne, thoughts go back again to Leanne
18 became a mother
Leanne, thoughts go back again to Leanne
Ready, raise your left, brother

I recall the train ride through the countryside
In the south of France
You're born way in my circumstance
Where I couldn't play God

Leanne once spent her summer in Paris, Paris, Tennessee
The only Paris Leanne would ever meet
We talked about it all on a bleacher seat
When we were back in county school

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Grew up hard on bottled land
Where only crops should grow
Watched people reap what the demons sowed

And I'd take it with me everywhere
And I've been told I can come off hard
Hard as the world I've known
Walking around with my spirit broke
Surprised to see love every now and then

I'm told to pray for forgiveness
I am to pray for grace
Not after seeing Leanne's face
Life beat down like that snapping turtle day
God could have thought up a better way
To teach me just how small I am
Teach me the other side of love

Ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck
Ooh, ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck
Ooh, ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck
Ooh, ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck
Ooh, ooh, small towns where my mind gets stuck