I was only nineteen the morning you were born With your hair fine and red and your eyes like my own Barely a woman with only a song I sang to keep you smilin' and held you all night long Home through the streets with you in my arms Cold winter mornings in a Colorado town You've seen me stumble, I've watched you fall I know that I've got nothing, you know we've got it all Rain comes down and the trucks rollin' by Does that old parka keep you dry? Sixteen years old, out on the road Tryin' to get to the sky Back in September you called me on the phone "Ma, you know I love you but I gotta be own my own Comes a time in a boy's life when he's got to be a man Please don't try to find me, please try to understand" I got me a job in a rock and roll band I'm gonna try to see if I can get by Sixteen years old, out on the road Trying to get to the sky I've watched you grow through all these years You've seen me stumble and I've dried your tears Sometimes there were roses, sometimes it was thorns I know you're gonna make it as sure as you were born And I hope from what you wanted you get what you need I know you're gonna make it, you were born to the breed Sixteen years old, out on the road Trying to get to the sky