Carl's got a brand new haircut, must have been the girl's first date

Baby blue front quarter panel on his old dark green Chevorlet

Probably never make the pages of People magazine

But you oughta see them sick kids' faces when he shows up on Christmas Eve

Dressed like old St. Nick

That missin' tooth don't matter a bit

There's a lot like him around in every town

They're just family, friends, and neighbors

Doing what they've always done

Lovin' fathers, lovin' daughters, lovin' mothers, lovin' sons

They gather 'round ole Glory

'Round the tables and the steeples

The beautiful people

The beautiful people

Debbie Jo, down at the diner

Sunny side up, burned the toast

Raising up two kids solo

Can't afford no fitness coach

She was going to California

The year her mama got sick

So she hung around to do what she could

Had the first one and that was it

Then her mom passed on

But she still goes by the old folks home

Just to sit a while and bring a smile

They're just family, friends, and neighbors

Doing what they've always done

Lovin' fathers, lovin' daughters, lovin' mothers, lovin' sons

They gather 'round ole Glory

'Round the tables and the steeples

The beautiful people

The beautiful people

A wrinkled old man wearing medals

That he earned on ? Beach

Saying goodbye to a grandson

Who was killed outside Tikrit

They gather 'round ole Glory

Out behind the steeple

The beautiful people

The beautiful people

The beautiful people

Man, their beautiful people, yea