Karaoké Billy Can't Read Mike Denver

His momma and his daddy were very poor and they never went to school

Billy followed in their footsteps like a lot 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 he 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 'cos he knew right then

He'd always have to settle for less

'Cos 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 he 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 and the O's and the U's

Now he's reading everything from the cereal box

To the bible three times through

'Cos 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

Yeah his life is much better you see now that Billy can read