She didn't see me see her cryin' As she sat there by the window On a southbound Greyhound leavin' town The hardest thing I've ever done Was to walk away and let that woman go 'Cause she came close to turnin' me around Now I know she missed her mama 'Cause that's the kind of life she comes from Ain't no kind of life I'm ever gonna have She said, she'd call me from the station But I'll be gone before she gets there And I'll see her every time I'm lookin' back Heaven knows I ain't no angel And I don't always do the right thing And right now I know that she don't understand But I'll sleep better knowin' The only thing I ever loved Is on that bus to Birmingham Tonight I'll slip back in the shadows And I'll sip a glass of whiskey And I'll try to keep from whisperin' her name But there's some highways I ain't driven And there's some towns that I ain't lived in And there's some times that I can't get out of the rain And Lord I can't bear to break Another promise that I made her So I made out like I wanted her to go And I'm better off believin' That she's better off without me 'Cause I don't want her to see me do her wrong Heaven knows I ain't no angel And I don't always do the right thing And right now I know that she don't understand But I'll sleep better knowin' The only thing I ever loved Is on that bus to Birmingham Heaven knows I don't always to the right thing And right now I know that she don't understand But I'll sleep better knowin' The only thing I ever loved Is on that bus to Birmingham