Her mama cussed
She was out of film
As her baby came down those stairs
Lookin' right at him
His hands, they shook
As he pinned on that corsage
And she almost cried
'Cause she'd liked this guy
From the very start
Should've been just another first
Not the last
A beautiful moment in two lives
When they looked back
Now they're flowers by the side of the road
Yeah, that's all that's left
Of the hopes and dreams
Of two seventeen year olds
Some dreams live on
And some they don't
All that's left to know
All that's left to show
Are flowers by the side of the road
Coulda been me
Coulda been you
How many times have I said
I've just had one or two
It's a soberin' thought
It's a soberin' sight
Like a bad, bad dream
You can lose everything
One careless night
Be the one who lives
Be the one whose gone
Be the mother whose heart
Has to somehow go on
She'll be flowers by the side of the road
Yeah, that's all that's left
Of the hopes and dreams
Of two seventeen year olds
Some dreams live on
And some they don't
All that's left to know
All that's left to show
Are flowers by the side of the road
Flowers by the side of the road
Coulda been me
Coulda been you