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His momma and his daddy were very poor,
and they never went to school.
Billy followed in their footsteps, like alot of children do.
He had to get a job to help pay the bills
so his younger brother Ben, might go to school
to learn to read and write,
then maybe he can teach all of them.But,

Billy can't read, no Billy can't read
but he gives two hundred percent
of the minimum wage that he receives.
Sometimes he pretends like he can
as he looks and laughs at the pictures in the funny books,
but it really ain't funny
you see that Billy can't read.

Then the bossman came around and talked to Billy one day.
He says now Billy you're the hardest worker I've got
and you sure deserve more pay.
But the boss at the top says
I have to give every foreman a written test.
Billy hung his head cause he knew right then
he'd always have to settle for less. Cause,

Billy can't read, no Billy can't read
but he gives two hundred percent
of the minimum wage that he receives.
Sometimes he pretends like he can
as he looks and laughs at the pictures in the funny books,
but it really ain't funny
you see that Billy can't read.

Little Ben never took for granted,
all his brother Billy sacrificed.
Every night while the family slept
they would sit up late by that old lamplight,
soundin out the A's, and the E's and the I's, O's, and U's.
Now he's reading evrything
from the cereal box to the bible three times through. Cause,

Billy can read, yeah Billy can read.
Now the rest of his life will be different
because of the special gift he received.
Now he don't have to act like he's laughing
as he looks at the silly pictures in those funny books.
There as funny as they can be,
now that Billy can read.
His life is much better now that Billy can read.

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