William Joe was the son of a farmer
Who lived out on the plains
William Joe never had too much

Just a horse and his name
Then one day
He said goodbye to his mama

Said, I've got to ride away
I've got to find out
What life is, papa

I'm leaving home today
Well, his mama ran and fetched him
A sack of apples

And she kissed him on the cheek
She said, Son, we don't have much
But these apples sure are sweet

And as the young man
Climbed upon his horse
Silhouetted against the sky

His papa nodded and his mama waved
And they both had tears in their eyes
As they watched him ride on

Ride on, ride on
William Joe rode for miles and miles
As he went from town to town

But each one seemed to be the same
And peace he never found
Well he'd seen the oceans

He's seen the mountains
And he'd seen the forests green
He'd seen cities and he's seen deserts

But he's never seen his dreams
Then his mind went back
To a sack of apples

He reached down in one day
And at the bottom of the sack of apples
His papa's Bible lay

And he could still remember the last words
His papa said to him
He said, Son, love will be here waiting

Till you come home again
You'll just ride on
Ride on, ride on, ride on

The evening sun was setting
As he knelt down in the dirt
And tears of repentance

Began erasing all the hurt
He closed his eyes
And bowed his head

And gave his heart to the Lord
He finally found the freedom
He'd been so long searching for

Now it's tim