When our baby Kate was born, it was the biggest day of my life, lyin' there, little bows in her hair, in the lovin' arms of my wife * I was the proudest papa in the U.S.A., makin' a living on the road somewhere a thousand miles away * It was a happy day, but kinda sad * I wish I could've been there, I wish I could've been there * I wish I could've been there for that * Little Bobby hit his first homerun; he was the hero of the hometown crowd * Two to one, it was the winning run; everybody was cheerin' loud * Mama, she was smilin' and sayin' he's a chip off of the old block * But I was on the road somewhere between Memphis and Little Rock * It was a happy day, but kinda sad * I wish I could've been there * I wish I could've been there for that * Now Bobby and Kate are all grown up and moved away; * They stay in touch, we're proud of the good kids that we raised * It's hard to believe we're celebratin' our 25th year today; * This party's nice, but the kids aren't here; at least they called to say: * "Congratulations, Mom and Dad" * Wish we could've been there; wish we could've been there * I wish we could've been there for that * It was a happy day, but kinda sad, * I wish they could've been there; I wish they could've been there * I wish they could've been there for that.