His momma and 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 and learn to read and write and maybe he could teach all of them
But Billy can't read, no Billy can't read
But he gives two hundred percent for 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 boss man came around, talked to Billy one day
He said, "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 each 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 for 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's sacrifice
Every night while the family slept they would sit up late by that old lamp light
Sounding out the a's and the e's and the i's and the o's and u's
Now he is reading everything from the cereal box to the Bible three times through
Cause Billy can read, yeah Billy can read
And 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
They're as funny as they can be
Now that Billy can read
Yeah his life is much better you see now that Billy can read