[Intro — Acoustic Guitar, Wurlitzer Piano, Pedal Steel] [Verse 1 — Female Lead, Intimate] Word came rolling down the highway He was living in Tennessee With a woman from the mountains And she held him tenderly I pictured Sundays on her front porch His boots beside her door And every picture in my mind Broke my heart a little more [Pre-Chorus — Gentle Rise] Could her voice become his comfort? Could her green hills calm his soul? Had the road that led him eastward Taken him beyond my hope? [Chorus — Warm, Bittersweet Lift] Tennessee, you nearly had him You came closer than you knew Every mile he stayed beside you Pulled him farther out of view I kept holding to the memory Of the way he held me then Then he walked back into Abilene And reached for me again Tennessee, you nearly broke me Texas was waiting when he came home [Turnaround — Fiddle And Pedal Steel] [Verse 2 — Female Lead, Growing Hope] Then she brought him back to Abilene With her hand upon his arm She was smiling like she knew him And I understood her charm But he heard that old band playing Turned and found me in the crowd Every guarded hope inside me Started beating hard and loud [Pre-Chorus — Building] He crossed the room before the next song Like the years had disappeared When he took my hand, I felt it He had found his way back here [Chorus — Fuller Band] Tennessee, you nearly had him You came closer than you knew Every mile he stayed beside you Pulled him farther out of view I kept holding to the memory Of the way he held me then Then he walked back into Abilene And reached for me again Tennessee, you nearly broke me Texas was waiting when he came home [Bridge — Tender, Compassionate] Girl from Tennessee, I saw you When he crossed that crowded floor I knew the ache that found your heart I had carried it before May the road ahead be gentle May your own true love begin But the heart I thought had lost its way Came home to me again [Final Chorus — Joyful Release, Female Harmonies] Tennessee, you nearly had him You came closer than you knew Every lonely Texas evening I was scared his love was through Now the waiting days are over And my heart can breathe again He came home to me in Abilene And reached for me again Tennessee, you nearly broke me Texas was waiting when he came home [Outro — Pedal Steel, Soft Female Harmonies] Texas was waiting Texas was waiting And he came home
