Dear Miss Loretta, I ain't ever met ya But I'm lonely tonight and I just betcha You might have some wisdom to pull off that shelf Your songs were all fun 'til I lived them myself I ain't a coal miner's daughter But my grandmother was Must be whiskey in the water Must be bourbon in the blood I'm a long way from Kentucky But the hurtin's the same Now I know why you sang that way Oh, what ended up tough I started out broken What ended up lost I started out hopin' A lifetime of pain was three minutes long And you weren't ashamed When the world sang along I ain't a coal miner's daughter But my grandmother was Must be whiskey in the water Must be bourbon in the blood I'm a long way from Kentucky But the hurtin's the same Now I know why you sang that way Dear Miss Loretta We both grew up too fast And I wish you could tell me How you made it last I ain't a coal miner's daughter But I've sung it all my life I ain't been a widow But I've been an ex-wife And I hear your truth And I feel your pain Now I know why you sang that way Yeah, I know why you sang that way