Paul's got a brand new haircut
must have been the girl's first date
baby blue front quarterpanel
on his old dark green Chevrolet

Probably never make the pages
of People Magazine,
but you ought to see those sick kids' faces
when he shows up on Christmas Eve

Dressed like old St. Nick
that missing tooth don't matter a bit
there's a lot like him around
in every town

(Chorus:)
They're just family friends and neighbors
doin what they've always done
loving fathers, loving daughters,
loving mothers, loving sons
they gather 'round old glory
'round the tables and the steeples
the beautiful people
the beautiful people

Debbie Jo down at the diner
sunny side up, burn the toast
raisin' up 2 kids solo
can't afford not fitness coach

She was goin' to california
the year her momma 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 to sit a while
and bring a smile

(Chorus)

A wrinkled old man wearing medals
that he earned on Omaha Beach
sayin' goodbye to a grandson
who was killed outside Tikrit

They gather 'round old glory
out behind the steeple
the beautiful people
the beautiful people
the beautiful people
man, they're beautiful people