We had an apartment in the city
And me and Loretta liked living there
It'd been years since the kids had grown
A life of their own and left us alone

John and Linda live in Omaha
And Joe is somewhere on the road
And we lost Davy in the Korean War
And I still don't know what for, it don't matter anymore

You know that old trees just grow stronger
And old rivers grow wilder every day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, 'Hello in there, hello'

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more
She sits and stares through the back door screen
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen

Some day I'll go and call up Rudy
We worked together at the factory
But what could I say when he asks, 'What's new?'
'Nothin', what's with you?' Nothin' much to do

You know that old trees just grow stronger
And old rivers grow wilder every day
Old people just grow lonesome
Or waiting for someone to say, 'Hello in there, hello'

So if you're walkin' down the street some town
And spot some hollow, ancient eyes
Oh, please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, 'Hello in there, hello'