Music
-
Overnight Success
First you buy an ol’ second–hand amp with a knob that sticks
You plug a cheap Fender in, then you crank it to ten and you learn a few Haggard licks
Then you play every day for oh, about nine or ten years
Writin’ songs for your girl and blowin’ all your money on gear
Then you talk to a drummer who’s a friend of a friend at church
He’s got a buddy who’s been learnin’ the bass, so you get together after work
You play together six months ‘til the band is tight
Book your first big gig on a Friday night
Step up to the mic and pray you remember the words
Then you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong
And you do a little drinkin’ to a drinkin’ song
You make everybody dance, everybody smile, everybody feel good for a while
And when you’re done...way to go, you finished step one
Next you borrow ten grand from your uncle and you make a CD
Good luck payin’ him back, ‘cause it’s a modern–day fact, anybody can get it for free
You spend your time online makin’ virtual fans, shoppin’ for a band van while you work for the man
‘Til you book enough gigs you can turn in your two weeks
Then you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong
And you do a little drinkin’ to a drinkin’ song
You make everybody dance, everybody smile, everybody feel good for a while
And when you’re through....that’s pretty good, but that’s just step two (Two step it now)
Step three: glue your hands to a steerin’ wheel
Step four: eat fast food every meal
Step five and six: fire the original band, and buy a new van
Step seven: burn out and give it up
Step eight: come back ‘cause it’s what you love
Step nine: you finally get a shot at the big time
So you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong
And you put your whole heart and soul into every song
You make Letterman laugh and Leno smile, stack your awards up in a pile
And guess what’s next... Everybody calls you an overnight success
Yeah, you’re an overnight success.
Hey, and all it really took was twenty years of blood, sweat and tears
You know what, on second thought, maybe you should just... I don’t know... try out for American Idol or somethingSure Felt Like Goodbye
Well I guess if I’m honest, it has been a little while
Since she gave me one of her carefree smiles
Not the one that you see in the pictures
But the one she saved for me
That said here in this moment you’re all I hoped you’d be
Still tonight when she said she needed a little time
Lettin’ go for good never did cross my mind
‘Til the goodbye kiss that lingered a little too long
‘Til the tear in her eye made me say, “Baby, tell me what’s wrong”
‘Til she drove away and never looked me in the eye
I’m not sure, but that sure felt like goodbye
No she didn’t come out and say it, but I don’t think she’ll be back
She left outta here like a woman whose bags were packed
And I shoulda seen this comin’, no I shouldn’t be so surprised
She’s a child of the highway and the wide open skies
No one man ever held her heart completely
What was I thinkin’, thinkin’ it might be me
‘Til the goodbye kiss that lingered a little too long
‘Til the tear in her eye made me say, “Baby, tell me what’s wrong”
‘Til she drove away and never looked me in the eye
I’m not sure, but that sure felt like goodbye
Sure felt like goodbye
Maybe I’m readin’ this wrong
She sure didn’t leave me much to go on
Just a goodbye kiss that lingered a little too long
Just a tear in her eye when I said, “Baby, tell me what’s wrong”
Then she drove away and never looked me in the eye
I’m not sure, but that sure felt like goodbyeOn a Good Day
On a good day, the snow on the pines
Could be diamonds the way it glitters and shines
And on a good day, the steam from my cup
Rises in a ribbon like a prayer going up
And I can close my eyes and not see your smile
And I feel like myself again for a little while
And the mountains breathe, just like they did before
On a good day I don’t miss you anymore
And on a good day, I can go to work
Put on the busy–ness like a well–worn shirt
And on a good day, I can dream again
Talk about the future as if talkin’ ‘bout a friend
And I can close my eyes and not see your smile
And I feel like myself again for a little while
And the mountains breathe, just like they did before
On a good day I don’t miss you anymore
Some days the loneliness blows in like a winter squall
It feels like this ice around my heart might never thaw
And a cold wind moans inside of me
Through the empty space where you used to be
But on a good day, I saddle up again
Ride along the ridgeline where the air is sweet and thin
And I set your memory free
Like an eagle, let it soar
On a good day I don’t miss you
AnymoreWhen You've Got a Woman
Trouble’s no stranger to a man that’s grown
He gonna come knockin’ one day to every home
But he can’t take nothin’ that love won’t provide
When you’ve got a woman to lay down beside
Way back in the Garden when God made man
He put the whole of creation there in the palm of his hands
And as good as it was, he was empty inside
‘Til God made him a woman, to lay down beside
When you’ve got a woman to lay down beside
She can hold you together on the darkest night
You can lay down your burden, you can lay down your pride
When you’ve got a woman to lay down beside
I was down in the darkness with nowhere to go
Trapped within the walls of my own selfish soul
When the good Lord looked down, saw the tears that I cried
And He gave me a woman to lay down beside
And when you’ve got a woman to lay down beside
She can hold you together on the darkest night
You can lay down your burden, you can lay down your pride
When you’ve got a woman to lay down beside
Lay down, lay down
All my worries and fears I’m gonna lay them down now
Lay down, lay down
On my darkest night
By this beautiful woman, gonna lay downDamned
Tell me what’s a girl like you doin’ in this bar alone
Did the devil send you straight here after wreckin’ a happy home
Or could you be an angel sent to kiss my tears away
It don’t matter... here you are, and I’m the loser either way
‘Cause I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
I’ll be lyin’ if you’ll love me, and I’ll be cryin’ if you won’t
I could go on bein’ faithful like the good Lord knows I should
But I’ll be damned if you don’t make a man think Hell looks pretty good
Well I’m married to a promise and she’s waitin’ there at home
With her back turned to my pillow and her heart that’s turned to stone
She doesn’t love me anymore but she won’t set me free
And that’s why I’m torn in two each time you look that way at me
‘Cause I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
I’ll be lyin’ if you’ll love me, but I’ll be cryin’ if you won’t
I could go on bein’ faithful like the good Lord knows I should
But I’ll be damned if you don’t make a man think Hell looks pretty good
(get ‘er, boys)
Yes I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
I’ll be cheatin’ if you’ll love me, but I’ll be weepin’ if you won’t
I could go on bein’ faithful, and the good Lord knows I should
But I’ll be damned if you don’t make a man think Hell looks pretty good
I’ll be damned if you don’t make a night in Hell sound pretty goodThe Simple Things
I got an old coffee mug that my granddad used to own
I’m sippin’ it slow on the porch and it’s good to be home
Watchin’ the sun come up and a dove on the wing
I’m thinkin’ while I listen to the mockingbird sing
That I sure do love the simple things
The best things in life you don’t plug in
A sky full of stars or a hand in the wind
A long kiss, a good ol’ memory
Keepin’ you grounded and makin’ you whole
Remindin’ you you’ve got a soul
Long as I’ve got a full belly, and a song to sing
I’ll be thankin’ God for the simple things
You got an egg in the skillet, I can smell it startin’ to fry
Hair pulled back in a ponytail outta your eyes
Sayin’ good morning, I love you, how did you sleep
Might as well be poetry I feel it so deep
And you, you sure do know how to do those simple things
The best things in life, you don’t plug in
A sky full of stars or a hand in the wind
A long kiss, a good ol’ memory
Keepin’ you grounded and makin’ you whole
Remindin’ you you’ve got a soul
Long as I’ve got a full belly, and a song to sing
I’ll be thankin’ God for the simple things
Yeah, you know me Baby I’m a simple man
Live ‘til I die, Honey that’s the plan
As long as I’ve got a full belly, and a song to sing
I’ll be thankin’ God for the simple things
Yeah
I thank God for the simple things, the simple things
YeahLittle Too Late
Dim lights, thick smoke
When I noticed you in here tonight girl I just about choked
I’ve been planning on making you mine but I didn’t want to move too fast
One glance at the dance floor and I could see my chance had passed
Look at you laughin’, leanin’ into him
With his arms wrapped around you where mine shoulda been
Pretty as a picture and so in love
If I’d have moved quicker well it could have been us
Look at you floatin’ ten feet off the ground
And lookin’ up at him like there’s no one else around
Whoever said good things come to those who wait
Never lost a girl like you by lovin’ just a little too late
I’d cause a scene, try cuttin’ in
But I can tell I wouldn’t stand a chance in Hell by the way you just kissed him
So I’ll swallow this whiskey and the words I didn’t get to say
Got a front row ticket tonight to watch the one that got away
Look at you laughin’, leanin’ into him
With his arms wrapped around you where mine shoulda been
Pretty as a picture and so in love
If I’d have moved quicker well it could have been us
Look at you floatin’ ten feet off the ground
And lookin’ up at him like there’s no one else around
Whoever said good things come to those who wait
Never lost a girl like you by lovin’ just a little too late
It’s like a train wreck goin’ up in flames
I can’t seem to turn away
Look at you laughin’, leanin’ into him
With his arms wrapped around you where mine shoulda been
Pretty as a picture, so in love
I’m kickin’ myself ‘cause it could have been us
Look at you floatin’ ten feet off the floor
Well it’s makin’ me want you like I never did before
Whoever said good things come to those who wait
Never lost a girl like you by lovin’ just a little too late
Just a little too late, little too late, little too lateKissin'
Oh Baby what do you say, why don’t we call it a day
Even though the day has just begun
Lay back one more time in these open arms of mine
Let me show ya, you’re my only one
It’s so warm and quiet in here
Don’t you know what’s waitin’ just outside
There’s a traffic jam on the interstate
All those people runnin’ late
In a big hurry just to wait in line
Busy all the time
TVs blarin’ and cell phones ringin’
All the junk mail the mail man’s bringin’
And Baby, think of all we’re missin’
Layin’ here just kissin’
Yeah, just kissin’
Now Baby, don’t tell me to behave
We can do that when we’re in our grave
Ain’t no better time than now to love ya Honey
Sunlight is tricklin’ in, tracin’ shadows over your skin
And you’re as beautiful as you’ve ever been
Come on Baby, pull the covers back up
We both know what’s waitin’ just outside
There’s a traffic jam on the interstate
All those people runnin’ late
In a big hurry just to wait in line
Busy all the time
TVs blarin’ and cell phones ringin’
All the junk mail the mail man’s bringin’
And Baby, think of all we’re missin’
Layin’ here just kissin’
Yeah, just kissin’
Baby, I know that lately, there’s been a whole lot of trouble that’s been weighin’ us down
But when you love me like you do, all of the pain is a world away
There’s a traffic jam on the interstate
The whole dang town is runnin’ late
In a big hurry just to wait in line
They’re busy all the time
There’s a 101 things to be doin’
A big ol’ world that never stops movin’
But Baby I don’t care what we’re missin’
Long as we’re just kissin’
Yeah, just kissin’Hands of a Workin' Man
The hands of a workin’ man built this town
Cleared this timber and plowed this ground
Raised those cattle in the sun and snow
Dammed that river and dug that coal
It’s a debt we owe to the hands of a workin’ man
Now my granddad had ‘em and my daddy does too
Back home there ain’t much else to do
You put food on the table and you fill up the tank
Pay what you owe to the boys at the bank
Live another day thanks to the hands of a workin’ man
Workin’ hard from the sun up to the sun down
They can build it tall, they can tear it on down
They got the know–how if you’ve got the money
Hit you hard as a hammer if you pick a fight
But they’d rather hold a pretty girl tight tonight
They’re the rough and dirty, strong and sturdy
Hands of a workin’ man
Now the hands of a workin’ man look kind of funny
Stickin’ outta white shirt sleeves on Sunday
They’re more at home holdin’ a rod and reel
Nine pound hammer or a steering wheel
There’s leather and steel in the hands of a workin’ man
Workin’ hard from the sun up to the sun down
They can build it tall, they can tear it on down
They got the know–how if you’ve got the money
Hit you hard as a hammer if you pick a fight
But they’d rather hold a pretty girl tight tonight
They’re the rough and dirty, strong and sturdy
Hands of a working man
Rough and hard, scuffed and scarred
From the front lines to the old freight yards
We have what we have ‘
Cause they are the way they are
Workin’ hard from the sun up to the sun down
They can build it tall, they can tear it on down
They got the know–how if you’ve got the money
Hit you hard as a hammer if you pick a fight
But they’d rather hold a pretty girl tight tonight
They’re the rough and dirty, strong and sturdy
Hands of a workin’ manTired of Gettin' By
Getting’ mighty tired of just gettin’ by
Stuck here on the ground wishin’ I could fly
Sure would be nice to get ahead before I die
‘Cause I’m gettin’ mighty tired of gettin’ by
Year after year I keep on running
An uphill race that never ends
Just when I think I’m on to somethin’
I slide back down and start over again
Used to say that someday soon
I won’t have to worry anymore
I wish that I could still believe that
Seems things are harder now than they ever were before
Gettin’ mighty tired of just gettin’ by
Stuck here on the ground wishin’ I could fly
Sure would be nice to get ahead before I die
‘Cause I’m gettin’ mighty tired of gettin’ by
Hope that I don’t seem ungrateful
Got a job and a lovin’ family
I’m puttin’ food there on the table
Maybe that’s all there is to life for a guy like me
Like a cloud that’s filled with thunder
But no rain to bring itself relief
I stare at the sky and I wonder
If what I am is all I’ll ever be
Gettin’ mighty tired of just gettin’ by
Stuck here on the ground wishin’ I could fly, fly, fly
Touch the sun just once before I die
‘Cause I’m gettin’ mighty tired of gettin’ by, by
Gonna give it one more try
‘Cause I’m gettin’ mighty tired of gettin’ byWhile I Was Away
By the time I made it home
You were already in bed
Chubby cheek pressed to your pillow
By a bedtime book you’d read
And I noticed that you looked older
Than you did yesterday
You’ve been growin’ up
While I was away
You made a pile of leaves in the front yard
I guess it’s already fall
By the look of those pictures your Momma took
The two of you had a ball
And it made me glad but a little sad
To see those games you play
I missed a lot of smiles
While I was away
And for every dollar I earn there’s a lesson you learn without me there
And every day I’m on the go I’m prayin’ that you know your Daddy cared
‘Cause the hardest part about workin’ hard ain’t the bills I gotta pay
It’s you growin’ up while I was away
And I found your note in the kitchen
It’s a real work of art
A stickman holding your stick hand With “Daddy” written in a heart
And it got me good ‘cause I understood
Just what you meant to say
You’ve been missin’ me too
While I was away
And for every dollar I earn there’s a lesson you learn without me there
And every day I’m on the go I’m prayin’ that you know your Daddy cared
‘Cause the hardest part about workin’ hard ain’t the bills I gotta pay
It’s you growin’ up while I was away
You know the hardest part about workin’ hard
Ain’t the bills I gotta pay
It’s everything I missed
While I was away -
'87 Chevy 4x4
I saw it parked down at the stop n go
With a sign sayin’ 3500 OBO
I had just enough saved up from the summer
after I talked him down a coupla hundred
I remember it well I was ridin’ high
When I drove you to the lake that starry night
Took a little detour through an open field
Our first taste of how freedom feels in an
87 Chevy four by four
Singin’ oooh baby they don’t make ‘em like that anymore
Goin’ where we’d never been before in an
87 Chevy four by four
Life is a play and that truck was our stage
we were fallin in love, we were coming of age
sneakin’ off after the football games
tearin’ up the back roads every time it rained
Do you remember that night we got stuck
And you lost a high heel down in the mud
How about that little canyon down in Big Bend
Watchin’ the sun sinkin’ below the rim in that
87 Chevy four by four
Singin’ oooh baby they don’t make ‘em like that anymore
Goin’ where we’d never been before in an
87 Chevy four by four
Time goes by
Everything changes in the blink of an eye
10 years now it’s been sittin’ out back
Under an old tarp by the firewood stack
A little TLC will get ‘er runnin’ again
We’re comin’ up on a long weekend, Baby
Whadya say you and me
Find a way to break free again in an
87 Chevy four by four
Singin’ oooh baby they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
Goin’ where we’ve never been before in an
87 Chevy four by four
87 Chevy four by four
Singin’ oooh baby they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
Let’s go where we’ve never been before in an
87 Chevy four by four
87 Chevy four by four
Ride With Me
You can hear my engine hummin’ comin’ rumblin’ up the road
And I know when you meet me at the fenceline in the sunshine
You’ll be lookin’ fine in your bandana and your blue jeans
Baby would you ride with me
Climb up in the seat, put your bare feet up, tap along to the radio
Girl we can go kick around downtown with the top down
We can follow this county road wherever it leads
Baby would you ride with me
Take my hand, say I do
I wanna go down this road with you
High and low, thick and thin
Forever’s just around the bend
And we’ll be right where we wanna be
Baby would you ride with me
You know, life is a bull when the gate gets pulled and we’d better be holdin’ on tight
It’s a roller coaster flippin’ over, it’s a sailboat on the tide of a wide open sea
Baby would you ride with me
Take my hand, say I do
I wanna go down this road with you
High and low, thick and thin
Forever’s just around the bend
And we’ll be right where we wanna be
Baby would you ride with me
I’ve been thinkin’ all day that if life is a highway we all travel on
The one that I wanna see in the seat sittin’ with me
When I make these dreams come true
Is you, it’s you, and it feels so fine when you
Take my hand and say I do
I wanna go down this road with you
High and low, thick and thin
Forever’s just around the bend
And we’ll be right where we wanna be
Baby would you ride with me
Baby would you take a ride with me
What You Do With What You Got
A baby boy is born in suburb and they
Bring him home in an SUV
He’s got a yard with a pool and playground
And a picture-perfect family
A baby girl is born in the city to a young mother who’s just 15
She’s got a dress that’s always dirty
And a dead-beat dad she’ll never see
Life’s not fair from the very beginning
The good news is it’s not all about losing and winning
There are those who have and those who have not
What matters most
Is what you do with what you got
The boy grows up playin’ lots of baseball, goin’ to parties and cuttin’ class
The little girl takes care of her brothers and she
Has to grow up way too fast
He turns 20 and drops out of college
His daddy buys him a new Corvette
She graduates from nursing school with
33 thousand dollars in debt
Life’s not fair from the very beginning
The good news is it’s not all about losing and winning
There are those who have and those who have not
What matters most is
What you do with what you got
He was driving drunk one night when he lost control
She was sitting at a bus stop when he hit the telephone pole
She pulled him free and did all she could ‘til the ambulance came
Later they told him
A woman saved your life but we never did get her name
Life’s not fair from the very beginning
The good news is it’s not all about losing and winning
Life’s not fair from the very beginning
Yeah but don’t give up, it’s not all about losing and winning
There will be those who have and those who have not
But we all get to choose
What we do with what we got
What we do with what we got
Born Into Love
Happy birthday, boy
It’s bright here, ain’t it
Look at you, more beautiful
Than any picture ever painted
Welcome to this world, son
With all its hopes and fears
It never will be perfect
But it’s better now you’re here
Rest here in my arms awhile
Let me hold you as you dream
Lord knows if I only could
I’d give you everything
But I can promise you this, son
You’ll always have enough
You weren’t born into money
But you were born into love
Life ain’t easy, son
You’ll learn that lesson well
But the way your momma looks at you it’s clear
You’re worth every tear that fell
I don’t know what you’ll find, boy
As you travel down this road
But as long as we’re alive
You’ll never travel it alone
Rest here in my arms awhile
Let me hold you as you dream
Lord knows if I only could
I’d give you everything
But I can promise you this, son
You’ll always have enough
You weren’t born into money
But you were born into love
No you weren’t born into money
But you were born into love
Fall In Love Tonight
Never thought that it would happen but here we are
What was once untouchable is now tangled in my arms
Neither one of us sure just what we’ve started here tonight
Just know this feelin’ is big and it’s bright
Love is all that really matters
Let’s hit the wall and see if it shatters
Find a way to cross the great divide
Hearts burnin’, eyes open
Nowhere to hide, no secret unspoken
In the end at least we’re gonna say we tried
To fall in love tonight
Both got a lot of reasons to run away
Both got a few scars that have never seen the light of day
Why do I feel so safe when I show ‘em all to you
Baby pull me closer ‘cause we’re breakin’ through
Love is all that really matters
Let’s hit the wall and see if it shatters
Find a way to cross the great divide
Hearts burnin’, eyes open
Nowhere to hide, no secret unspoken
In the end at least we’re gonna say we tried
To fall in love tonight
Somewhere in the presssure and the heat
Comes a tremblin’ moment when two hearts meet
Love is all that really matters
Let’s hit the wall and see if it shatters
Find a way to cross the great divide
Hearts burnin’, eyes open
Nowhere to hide, no secret unspoken
In the end at least we’re gonna say we tried
To fall in love tonight
The Big Picture
Lyin’ awake in the hours before morning
Watchin’ the light push back the dark
That big burnin’ ball always reminds me
How insignificant my worries are
In the big picture
Still it’s the little things that seem to get me
When life isn’t fair and nothin’ goes right
I take it out on the people who love me
It’s easy to do, when you lose sight
Of the big picture
But in the big picture I see it all so clear
What I should do on this earth while I’m here
Love on my family and friends when I can
And reach out to my fellow man
I believe it’s a truth that we all have inside us
Tested and tried by those come before
Ask any wise man and he’ll gladly tell you
Love or money, which matters more
In the big picture
‘Cause in the big picture I see where we really are
On an oasis in an ocean of stars
Sharing the earth and our fears and our dreams
More alike than it sometimes may seem
Sittin’ in front of a beautiful sunrise
Feelin’ the light where it touches my face
I let myself imagine forever
And hope that someday I’ll find my place
In the big picture
Cause in the big picture I see it all so clear
What we can do with our time while we’re here
The more walls that crumble in the name of love
The better we’ll see the beauty of
The big picture
High Hopes and Low Expectations
Well I’ve been around, yeah I’ve done a little livin’
Seen my fair share of heros and villains
I’ve been burned and I learned to take the bad with the good
I’ve bounced at the bottom and I’ve fallen from the top
I’ve sifted the rubble when the bubble got popped and I’ve
Stood in a hall where all of the legends have stood
It left me with high hopes and low expecations
A little of both to keep my sanity
They’ve seen me through some messed up situations
High hope, low expectations
It’s a first-timer mountain climber checkin’ their belay
It’s a poker player with a 401K it’s a
Tricked out stretch limo with four-wheel drive
It’s hope for the best and it’s plan for the worst
believe you’ll be blest but prepare to be cursed ‘cause
Livin’ large means first you gotta stay alive
It’s gonna take high hopes and low expecations
A little of both to keep your sanity
They’ll see you through some messed up situations
High hopes, low expectations
Wings to fly and faith to see the bigger plan
An extra parachute and a sturdy pair of hiking boots
Just in case you ever do crash land
Now that’s what I call high hopes and low expecations
A little of both to keep your sanity
They’ll see you through life’s jacked up situations
High hopes and low expectations
Talkin’ ‘bout high hopes
Low expectations
Rain From A Clear Blue Sky
The first time you ever went away
It was a cool and rainy day
And I knew then there were dry times ahead
The sun came out and the sky turned blue
But I withered without you
Alone in a desert until one day
It rained from a clear blue sky
And everybody was wonderin’ why
But I knew babe, it was you comin’ back to me
Like a cool breeze on a summer day
You’re love comes down, takes the hurt away
And it makes me smile every time I see
Rain from a clear blue sky
Now since then there’s been a time or two
You got the urge to blow on through
And every time you go you leave me dry
I do everything I can figure out
To stay alive through the drought
I just hold on until the day I feel
That rain from a clear blue sky
And everybody is wonderin’ why
But I know babe, it’s you comin’ back to me
Like a cool breeze on a summer day
You’re love comes down, takes the hurt away
And it makes me smile every time I see
Rain from a clear blue sky
One day in the restaurant I got down on my knees
And asked you baby please
Would you marry me
And I saw
Rain from your clear blue eyes
And everybody was wonderin’ why
But I knew babe, you’d finally come home to me
Like a cool breeze on a summer day
You’re love is comin’ down, now it’s here to stay
And I thank God for you every time I see that
Rain from a clear blue sky
Hope Is A Flame
Hope is a flame burnin’ in the heart
Shinin’ through the dark and the wind and the rain
Hope is flame
Hope is a seed planted in the spring
For the beauty it will bring and the family it will feed
Hope is a seed
And when the darkness falls like a curtain
When we can’t make to the dawn
Hope is a voice callin’ out to the hurtin’ saying hold on
Hope is a song sung through your tears
For a friend who will be near even though they’re gone
Hope is a song
Hope is a dream showin’ us the way
From where we are today to where we long to be
Hope is a dream
And when the darkness falls like a curtain
When we can’t make to the dawn
Hope is a voice callin’ out to the hurtin’ saying hold on
Just hold on
Hope is a flame burning in the heart
Shinin’ through the dark and the wind and the rain
Livin' In The City
My eyes are poppin’ from the pressure, pulse poundin’ in my brain
From another day another damn dollar down the drain
Stuck here on the freeway, goin’ nowhere fast
Except maybe the poorhouse the way I’m burnin’ gas
It’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
Well I can’t get the work with these broke down tools
But I can’t afford to fix ‘em if I play it by the rules
It’s a vicious cycle it’s a chicken or the egg
I’d like one of each with gravy but I’d probably have to beg
It’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
Well I got a scrawny cat that’s been hangin’ ‘round some
He scratches like a devil and he steals like a bum
But I don’t really mind it ‘cause I know how it feels
Tryin’ to catch a rat and not get crushed by the wheels
It’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
Well I’ve got a good heart, hell I ain’t a bad kid
But the city made me do some things I wish I never did
I oughta pack it up, head on back to the holler
A couple more weeks here and I’ll probably need a lawyer
It’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
Yeah it’s a hard life livin’ in the city
The Long Way Around
If you could only see me baby
Laughin’ out loud when I’m alone
It would amaze you how that lately
All of my darkness is gone
It don’t mean that I don’t miss you
Heaven knows how I still care
It’s just the bitterness and the drinkin’
Weren’t gettin’ me anywhere
And it’s a beautiful feelin’
Breathin’ on my own
And I’m flying faster than I’ve ever flown
And I’m discoverin’ lately
From way above the ground
That I was never lost
I was just takin’ the long way around
I can still feel you with me sometimes
Touchin’ my skin like the sun
But on the downhill side of forgiveness
I finally found the room to run
And it’s a beautiful feelin’
Breathin’ on my own
And I’m flying faster than I’ve ever flown
And I’m discoverin’ lately
From way above the ground
That I was never lost
I was just takin’ the long way around
The long way around
If you could only see me baby
-
The Right Place
If you ever have wondered what life would be like in a bigger town
If you ever let go of a dream for the sake of settlin’ down
If this life hasn’t given you everything you thought it might
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
If a whiskey glass and a cigarette seem to fit your hand
If a turn or two on the dance floor makes you feel young again
If you can’t see your troubles by the glow of a neon light
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
Come on in, come on in
For a little while we’re all friends
And this ol’ world can’t drag us down
If you’ve been hoping that love will find you, well honey it just might
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
Well we all bring different burdens through those swingin’ doors
We all have a different fix we come here looking for
If what you need is a slow dance and a stranger to hold you tight
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
Come on in, come on in
For a little while let’s pretend
That this ol’ world can’t drag us down
If you’ve been hoping that love will find you, well honey it just might
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
If you’ve been hoping that love will find you, well honey it just might
Come on in, you’re in the right place tonight
Tired of Being Perfect
Well to be perfectly honest, this ain’t workin’
And it’s been weighin’ heavy on my mind
I know from your perspective
Things are perfectly fine
But girl I’m tired of tryin’ to be perfect all the time
I keep my elbows off the table
And keep my clothes up off the floor
I don’t let you catch me smokin’
Them old cigarettes anymore
But I’m already missin’ the not-so-distant days
When we used to love each other in all those
Imperfect ways
So to be perfectly honest, this ain’t workin’
And it’s been weighin’ heavy on my mind
I know from your perspective
Things are perfectly fine
But girl I’m tired of tryin’ to be perfect all the time
Don’t you remember dirty dancin’
In the parking lot in the rain
We were wild, we were crazy
And you never did once complain
Even the Good Lord kicked back from time to time
Why don’t we turn this watered-down romance
Back into wine
‘Cause to be perfectly honest, this ain’t workin’
And it’s been weighin’ heavy on my mind
Maybe from your perspective
Things are perfectly fine
But girl I’m tired of tryin’ to be perfect all the time
Darlin’ I just can’t be perfect all the time99 Bottles
On a day hot enough to make the Devil cuss
I walked into a bar so thirsty I was spittin’ dust
Barkeep asked me what’ll it be?
I said whatcha got? He said well let’s see, we got
Lone star, PBR, Rolling Rock, Shiner Bock
Moose Drool, O’Doul’s, Hefeweizen, Ziegenbock,
Keystone, Coors Light, ‘course we got Red Stripe
Amstel, Amsterdam in the tall can,
Michelob, Miller Light, Guiness by the pint glass
Doppelbock Lager, take a swaller ‘cause it’s goin’ fast
Oatmeal stout and a lot of Leinenkugel’s
Open up your wallet, no time to be frugal there’s
99 bottles of beer on the wall
99 bottles of beer
Take one down, pass it around
98 bottles of beer on the wall
Well needless to say I was pretty impressed
As he handed me an ice cold beer from a chest
I said, Not bad for a hole in the wall
Barkeep grinned, said That ain’t all, we got
Rio Grande, River Rock, Tecate with a twist top
Dos Perros, Dos Equis, Foster if yer Aussie
Bud Light in the new Zane Williams coozie
A dozen wheat beers on tap if you’re choosy, got
Heineken, Killian’s, Labatt’s and Beck’s
Ice cold Corona with the limes in the necks
Yuengling chilling with the Old Milwaukee’s best
Sam Adams and that ain’t even half of the rest of them
98 bottles of beer on the wall
98 bottles of beer
Take one down, pass it around
97 bottles of beer on the wall
Well I settled down with my favorite brew
I ordered me another and before I knew
It was 2 AM and I was under a table
Bein’ choked by a dude that smelled like a stable
And finally I was able to throw him through the screen door
Pick up my hat off the hardwood floor
Get on back to the barkeep’s daughter who was
Puttin’ “Pop a Top” on the jukebox, dancin’ non-stop
And sippin’ on a beer that I bought her
We were drinkin’ it like it was water
There were cowgirls everywhere wearin’ their
Pretty hair down to their derriere and there were
2 more bottles of beer on the wall
2 more bottles of beer
Took one down and passed it around
1 more bottle of beer on the wall
1 more bottle of beer on the wall
1 more bottle of beer
We raised it up high and drained it dry and there were
No more bottles of beer on the wall
So we started on the
Cuervo, Bacardi Gold, margaritas, straight tequila
Jim Beam, George Dickel, then we wet our whistle with a
single malt scotch, peach schnapps in a jello shot
Captain Morgan, pour some more of them
Cider Sliders, Flyin’ Tigers
Dr Pepper for the designated drivers
Everclear, Absolut and Amaretto
I don’t remember much but I never will forget those
99 bottles of beer on the wall
99 bottles of beer
There ain’t nothin’ finer than an ice-cold Shiner and
99 bottles of beer on the wallRiver Girl
Wide open western sky
Rust-red sunset startin’ to fade on an August night
The heat’s still risin’ off the asphalt when we
Turn down a county road
Rattle over a cattle guard past a row of old fence posts
To a one lane bride where the path begins
When we feel the coolness in the air
Then we know we’re almost there and
You put your hand in mine
Tiny fingers that fit just fine and we
Walk down where the river gets wide
And no one ever comes around
Hidin’ out ‘neath the Concho moon
No agenda and nothin’ to prove in our
Own little world
Just me and my river girl
The hours go slippin’ by like
Dark water over flat rocks in the moonlight
You kick your flip flops off, trail your toes in the water and you
Tell me all of your dreams
Small town girl takin’ on the world in cut-off jeans
And when you lean back, lay your head in my lap I can
See the starlight in your eyes
And for me there’s no dream like when
You put your hand in mine
Tiny fingers that fit just fine and we
Walk down where the river gets wide
And no one ever comes around
Hidin’ out ‘neath the Concho moon
No agenda and nothin’ to prove in our
Own little world
Just me and my river girl
One day I know you’ll fly
From this sleepy town
But for this moment here and now
You put your hand in mine
Tiny fingers that feel so fine and we
Walk along where the river gets wide
Two people in love
There’s no feelin’ in the world like this
Holdin’ you in a tiptoe kiss in our
Own little world
Just me and my river girl
Just me and my river girlLive to Love Again
Hey baby, why the long face
Did you really think he would always stay?
Wasn’t there a little part of you that knew
He was always running away?
Guys like him can never be trusted
To really follow through
Pretty girl, pull yourself together ‘cause
There’s so much more to you
You’re gonna see
When you dry those tears out of your eyes
That there’s a clear blue sky stretched out in front of you
And you’re free to follow your dreams until they come true
This is only the beginning even though it feels like the end
Hold on girl, you’re gonna live to love again
Just let him go! Don’t even bother
To pick the whole thing apart
So he’s a jerk---so he’s a loser
He’s got a cold, cold, heart
Everything that you ever have wanted
Is still waiting out there
Take a little drive, take a deep breath
Let the wind blow through your hair
You’re gonna find
When you leave his memory behind
That there’s a clear blue sky stretched out in front of you
And you’re free to follow your dreams until they come true
This is only the beginning even though it feels like the end
Hold on girl, you’re gonna live to love again
It may take you a little while
But sooner or later we’re gonna see that smile
‘Cause there’s a clear blue sky stretched out in front of you
And you’re free to follow your dreams until they come true
Love is patiently waiting somewhere around the bend
Hold on girl, you’re gonna live to love againI Am What I Am
If I were an astronaut
I’d bring you back a moon rock
You could put it on a bookshelf
With all of your other what-nots
If I were a painter
I’d talk you into posin’ nude
Yeah then you’d get paid to lay around all day
And let me look at you
If I were a hitman
I’d take you cruisin’ in my unmarked van
To kill some time sippin’ wine on the beach
In a far-away land
If I were a preacher
I’d say a few extra prayers
So you could sleep in on Sunday
And still be squared away with the man upstairs
But I am what I am
I was born a music man
So I do what I do
I string a few chords together
And I sing about lovin’ you
If I were an architect
I’d take my handy-dandy pencil set
Design you a two-story log home
With a split-level wrap-around sun deck
If I were a lumberjack
I’d help you climb up the tallest tree
Show you the little baby eagles
That ordinary people never get to see
(chorus)
Yes I am what I am
I was born a music man
So I do what I know how to do
I string a few chords together and I sing about lovin’
Spend all day just kissin’ and cuddlin’
And writin’ these songs that are all about lovin’ you
(extra verses):
If I had a green thumb
I’d plant tomatoes when the spring comes
Then you wouldn’t have to panic ‘bout buyin’ organic
You could just pick you some
If I had a PhD
In self-help psychology
I’d write a book about how you help me live in the now
And find inner peaceSix Steel Strings
You can see that train wreck comin’
From a hundred miles away
I don’t leave ‘til tomorrow
And I already want to stay
Just when this life we’re building
Is the best it’s ever been
It’s time for me to head back out again
Four spinnin’ wheels
Two silver wings
A thousand miles
Between these two dreams
Life ain’t as simple as it once seemed
Lovin’ both you
And these six steel strings
I guess I ain’t no different
From the salesman down the street
Both doin’ what we’re good at
To put shoes on babies’ feet
And when it’s time to go
In our hearts we fight the war
Between what we do
And who we do it for
Four spinnin’ wheels
Two silver wings
A thousand miles
Between these two dreams
Life ain’t as simple as it once seemed
Lovin’ both you
And these six steel strings
You stand beside me through it all somehow
Knowing I wouldn’t be the man you love without
These spinning wheels
And silver wings
The eternal chase of a lifelong dream
The daily contradictions that it brings
Lovin’ both you
And these six steel strings
Lovin’ both you
And these six steel strings
I’m in love with you
And six steel stringsPablo and Maria
Pablo Escobedo took Maria for his bride
In the dead of winter, 1885
A bitter snow was fallin’ when a dozen ragged men
Surrounded the little chapel, trapping Pablo in
They told him “Surrender, or we’ll burn the whole place down”
And Pablo whispered “Death can’t hurt me now
Stay here my Maria, and remember me this way”
Then he kissed her lips and they dragged him away
And she heard him
Calling to her
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me?
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Till the lonesome sound had nowhere else to go
And was swallowed in the January snow
When silence fell the solemn priest said “God will avenge, my child”
Maria just stared right through him, hollow-eyed and wild
Stumbling into the muddy street she lifted her eyes to see
The twisting awkward silhouette now still beneath the tree
No one dared to touch her as she left her lover there
And ran down toward the river with the wind whipping her hair
Snowflakes swirled behind her like the finest flowing train
And the north wind moaned and whispered as if it knew her pain
And she swore she
Still heard him calling
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Til she reached the edge of the river far below
And lept into the January snow
If you’re ever down in Texas in a January snow
And you hear a mournful whisper in the north wind as it blows
You may feel the lonesome presence of a lady all in white
Weeping in the distance, just out of your sight
And you may hear him
Calling to her
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Til the lonesome sound has nowhere else to go
And it’s swallowed in the January snow -
All content © Zane Williams
