I knew a girl who was almost a lady   She had a way with all the men in her life   Every inch of her blossomed in beauty   And she was born on the fourth of July      Well she lived in an aluminum house trailer   And she worked in a juke box saloon   And she spent all the money that I give her   Just to see the old man in the moon      I used to sleep at the foot of old glory   And awake in the dawn's early light   But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes   I was a victim of the great compromise      Well we'd go out on Saturday evenings   To the drive-in on Route 41   And it was there that I first suspected   That she was doin' what she'd already done      She said, "Johnny won't you get me some popcorn"   And she knew I had to walk pretty far   And as soon as I passed through the moonlight   She hopped into a foreign sports car      I used to sleep at the foot of old glory   And awake in the dawn's early light   But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes   I was a victim of the great compromise      Well you know I could have beat up that fellow   But it was her that had hopped into his car   Many times I'd fought to protect her   But this time she was goin' too far      Now some folks they call me a coward   'Cause I left her at the drive-in that night   But I'd rather have names thrown at me   Than to fight for a thing that ain't right      I used to sleep at the foot of old glory   And awake in the dawn's early light   But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes   I was a victim of the great compromise      Now she writes all the fellows love letters   Saying "Greetings, come and see me real soon"   And they go and line up in the barroom   And spend the night in that sick woman's room      But sometimes I get awful lonesome   And I wish she was my girl instead   But she won't let me live with her   And she makes me live in my head      I used to sleep at the foot of old glory   And awake in the dawn's early light   But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes   I was a victim of the great compromise