The Innocent Years Lyrics - Kathy Mattea

I need to go down and wash my face 

Deep in the river of my old home place 

I need to walk in the waters, that once gave me life 

Go over and walk the old railroad tracks 

See if I can follow it all the way back 

Back to where my vision is clear 

Back to the days of the innocent years 

Though I'd trade it all back in 

For just one day like it was back then 

Back before just living my life got in the way 

To see my face at sixteen again 

When the boy down the street was my best friend 

When his smile took away my tears 

Back in the days of the innocent years 

You might grow wiser every day 

But there's a price you have to pay 

The girl I was just disappeared 

I left her behind in the innocent years 

Now and then when the sun goes down 

I can see the moon over my hometown 

I can almost hear the train rushing by 

I close my eyes and say a prayer 

To the wide eyed girl that I lost somewhere 

Maybe someday she'll find me here 

And lead me back to the innocent years 

You might grow wiser every day 

But there's a price you have to pay 

Girl I was just disappeared 

Left her behind in the innocent years 

When I get lost along the way 

And I can't see the light of day 

I can almost feel her near 

Calling me back to the innocent years, yeah, yeah 

The innocent years, woah, oh