COUNTRY SONGS. REAL LIFE.

In your life you’ll be told what you’re worth, so many times By folks that don’t know the weight of their words You’ll be shoved and tossed around because you’re not in line With the vision of the minds that are blurred You will fear the laughs but stumble anyway Nothin’ to be sad, you will get back up You will learn to fight and make it through the day If you get yourself to think and stop You can reach for the sky Every time a bit higher Make believe you can fly And push to make things better Every dream leaves a trace That the heart will remember Make it bloom into grace And turns your fears into wonder As you grow you’ll learn to keep your word, no matter when But you’ll find it hard not to expect the same You’ll be lied to, left behind and you will lose some friends Many times because you just won’t play a game You will fear being alone, lost in the dark It won’t be so bad, on your own You’ll see what is right and what sets you apart If you let yourself be wise and strong You can reach for the sky Every time a bit higher Make believe you can fly And push to make things better Every dream leaves a trace That the heart will remember Make it bloom into grace And turn your fears into wonder You can reach for the sky Every time a bit higher Make believe you can fly And push to make things better Every dream leaves a trace That the heart will remember Make it bloom into grace And turn your fears into wonder

Some days the words just come out wrong We keep on talkin’ till the meaning’s gone She’ll cross her arms, I’ll take a breath Try to make out what was left unsaid Sometimes the air gets thicker for a while Then one of us sighs, the other smiles We cool it down, let the moment pass, then I hold her heart like it’s glass in my hand When I look at her pretty face, upset, blazin’ at me When the voices raise, I just keep in mind That our love ain’t about who’s wrong or right Who wins, who loses — I don’t care, but that’s what makes us shine And when I feel the heat gettin’ high I’d rather trigger the birth of a smile, than tears in her eyes We’ve got dreams that aren’t so far apart But sometimes we forget the tender part She’ll hold her ground, I’ll take my stand Tryin’ hard to think and understand The world keeps spinning faster every day We stumble through the things we meant to say One tiny laugh and we are back again Like comin’ home after a heavy rain When I look at her pretty face, upset, blazin’ at me When the voices raise, I just keep in mind That our love ain’t about who’s wrong or right Who wins, who loses — I don’t care, but that’s what makes us shine And when I feel the heat gettin’ high I’d rather trigger the birth of a smile, than tears in her eyes Love ain’t soft, but it sure ain’t stone Two hearts learnin’ not to stand alone Love don’t keep score, it just keeps faith Through every wrong turn and twist of the day When I look at her pretty face, upset, blazin’ at me When the voices raise, I just keep in mind That our love ain’t about who’s wrong or right Who wins, who loses — I don’t care, but that’s what makes us shine And when I feel the heat gettin’ high I’d rather trigger the birth of a smile, than tears in her eyes I’d rather trigger the birth of a smile, than tears in her eyes I’d rather trigger the birth of a smile, than tears in her eyes

I had to work all day, no time to play And now it feels good to be back home That woman waitin’ on me, just a few feet away Is the sweetest love I’ve ever known She put on that blue dress, blew my mind in a glance Already standin’ in the doorway ’Cause every Saturday night, I take her to dance At the Stompin’ Foot Café I ain’t the best of dancers, but I can keep my line Can’t say the same for that fella comin’ from outta town He’s hangin’ ‘round, big ol’ boots always outta time Bumps into folks like he’s a rodeo clown I heard a shout so loud it rattled the crowd I saw the Big Big man He did it again He stepped on my woman’s toes My woman’s hoppin’ mad, shakin’ her foot While the fiddles dive back in The Big Man’s still stompin’ from side to side Sweepin’ floors or takin’ folks for a ride I tip my hat polite, say, “Man, take it slow,” But he spins around and won’t let go The crowd’s half laughin’, half runnin’ for the door When he kicks that table clean on the floor I ain’t the best of dancers, but I can keep my line Can’t say the same for that fella comin’ from outta town He’s hangin’ ‘round, big ol’ boots always outta time Bumps into folks like he’s a rodeo clown I heard a shout so loud it rattled the crowd I saw the Big Big man He did it again He stepped on my woman’s toes He’s hangin’ ‘round, big ol’ boots always outta time Bumps into folks like he’s a rodeo clown I heard a shout so loud it rattled the crowd I saw the Big Big man He did it again He stepped on my woman’s toes

He’ll cheer me up when I ain’t in the mood, and I’m feeling sad Crackin’ the same joke, again and again till he gets me mad He’ll give me advice like he’s a preacher’s son on a mission Tryin’ so hard to remind me that I need redemption My friend, you may say all the wrong things at the wrong time But you’re always the first to show when nobody cares My friend, you’re my best mistake, my steady line You may see things in black and white Never say no to a fight Man you sure ain’t always right, but you’re always there He’ll tell a lie, not afraid to be rude if he thinks that’ll make me feel better Takes the blame if he’s dead wrong again, but he won’t mind He makes me wish that I don’t know his name, sometimes But I’d be the fool, I’d be the one that is blind My friend, you may say all the wrong things at the wrong time But you’re always the first to show when nobody cares My friend, you’re my best mistake, my steady line You may see things in black and white Never say no to a fight Man you sure ain’t always right, but you’re always there My friend, you may say all the wrong things at the wrong time But you’re always the first to show when nobody cares My friend, you’re my best mistake, my steady line You may see things in black and white Never say no to a fight Man you sure ain’t always right, but you’re always there

I was just a little kid, just a roamin’ country boy Walkin’ in the dust, in search of somethin’ to earn Could have turned away and looked for easier things to enjoy Found out that every mile of dirt hid somethin’ I needed to learn Country roads Mem’ries from the country roads Places where folks don’t know your name Still help you the same, in a heartbeat Country roads Moments from the country roads Lessons that I’ll never forget Forever in debt but all mine to keep I left the backroad lanes, for a little while, just to chase a different view Swapped the smell of rain, for smokey nights past the neon’s fence Thought the city lights would show more colors, at least something new Found out that none of that was true The stars back home just made more sense Country roads Mem’ries from the country roads Places where folks don’t know your name Still help you the same, in a heartbeat Country Roads Moments from the country roads Lessons that I’ll never forget Forever in debt but all mine to keep The farther that I wandered, the clearer it became Try to outrun your heart, it’ll always beat back the same Every turn I took just led me back to where I’ve grown, To that old patch of dirt I’ll always call home Country roads My heart’s in those country roads Places where folks don’t know your name Still love you the same, in a heartbeat Country roads People from the country roads Faces that I’ll never forget Forever in debt but all mine to keep Places that I’ll never forget Forever in debt but all mine to keep Places that I’ll never forget Forever in debt but all mine to keep

Tiny place full of smoke Folks are crowdin’ at the corner bar Many faces, many stories and jokes All different but not very far Some are here for a laugh Some came runnin’ from a broken heart Some were raised by the past Some are frontin’ not to fall apart But… All we wanna do is hang on Saturday night Forget ’bout the worries, make sure we all feel alright Band is playin’ on a worn-out stage Dancers spinnin’ wild across the floor All the stompin’ boots make the whole room shake The old jukebox rattlin’ near the back door Folks are raisin’ their glasses with whatever they’ve got Stories flowin’ like a runaway horse Some will find some peace with the new friend they caught Some will smile like never before All we wanna do is hang on Saturday night Forget ’bout the worries, make sure we all feel alright All we wanna do is hang on Saturday night Forget ’bout the worries, make sure we all feel alright Getting late, slowing down But ain’t no sadness hidin’ in the dark Took a good look all around Couldn’t find a single trampled heart Folks are leavin’, headin’ home Don’t matter if it snows or rains They might have a rough trail to roam But next week they’ll all be back again All we wanna do is hang on Saturday night Forget ’bout the worries, make sure we all feel alright

I ain’t wearin’ no fancy cape I ain’t got no flashy superhero suit I can’t even get my old pickup back in shape And I still ain’t mastered shinin’ my own boots Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always stand up for you Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always find a way to be there for you I ain’t the strongest at fixin’ things Even combin’ my hair is overdue Any kinda trouble tomorrow brings I’ll be in way over my head and losin’ a shoe Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always stand up for you Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always find a way to be there for you My manners can get a little rough I might forget the rent and miss a birthday too Try to bluff my way into lookin’ real tough But even my good old dog won’t be fooled Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always stand up for you Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always find a way to be there Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always stand up for you Hey! I’m not invincible But I’ll always find a way to be there for you

Ain’t never seen a sweeter shade of blue Than the one I find in her eyes Never watched a more touchin’ view Than the sunshine that glows in her smile Not a place on earth I’d rather stand Than beside her, holdin’ her hand My woman will always be The love of my life Head on my shoulder When she wakes up every mornin’ She goes back to sleep in my arms Every night Never felt anythin’ stronger and so real Than the love she brings into my days Ain’t no one that tender with others’ needs Openin’ her heart in so many ways If I could travel back in time I’d stay right here, right now, her hand in mine My woman will always be The love of my life Head on my shoulder When she wakes up every mornin’ She goes back to sleep in my arms Every night Our love True love Nothin’ can take that away The heart has its own way Head on my shoulder When she wakes up, forever She’ll go back to sleep in my arms Every night Ain’t a place on earth I’d rather stand Than beside her, holdin’ her hand My woman will always be The love of my life My woman will always be The love of my life

I don’t need lots of money to be rich, oh no Just a sunrise in the mornin’ Don’t wear fancy clothes with pretty stitch, you know My ol’ workin’ boots keep me walkin’ When everythin’ is said and done It ain’t the stuff I own that tells the story of another day It’s what my heart keeps holdin’ on, the things that never fade or drift away The simple things I don’t need a racin’ car to chase the wind, oh no I just get out there in the field Don’t travel much to get a tan on my skin, you know A few work days are all I need When everythin’ is said and done It ain’t the stuff I own that tells the story of another day It’s what my heart keeps holdin’ on, the things that never fade or drift away, The simple things The simple things I don’t need a mansion filled with giant screens, oh no There’s so much beauty right out my door Don’t need half of my wage to make a feast, you know Just a little snack with someone I care for When years go by and I’m old and grey It ain’t the stuff I own that’ll make me happy and keep me livin’ one more day It’s what my heart keeps holdin’ on, the things that never fade or drift away, The simple things The simple things

You can lose a dime today and earn it back tomorrow Time don’t come that easy and it’s gone before you know Late nights chasin’ deadlines, punchin’ clocks and pay Can’t replace growin’ kids or what they had to say Time ain’t money, ain’t somethin’ you can keep ‘n stack It’s somethin’ you don’t notice ‘till it fades away You can let it slip, but you can’t ever buy it back Cause ain’t no store that can sell you one more day Bills piled on the counter, big promises to keep My chair at the table stayed empty for so many years Life didn’t wait on me, it just kept movin’ on Ain’t no second chance to bring back what is gone Time ain’t money, ain’t somethin’ you can keep ‘n stack It’s somethin’ you don’t notice ‘till it fades away You can let it slip, but you can’t ever buy it back Cause ain’t no store that can sell you one more day Funny how the clock gets loud when everything else in your head gets quiet Funny what you see when you’re slowin’ down Things you missed are sittin’ right beside you Time ain’t money, ain’t somethin’ you can keep ‘n stack It’s somethin’ you don’t notice ‘till it fades away You can let it slip, but you can’t ever buy it back Cause ain’t nobody sellin’ you one more day Cause ain’t nobody sellin’ you one more day Cause ain’t nobody sellin’ you one more day

Alarm goes off, same old tune Same cracked mug and the same cheap spoon Clock says five, my body says no But I may still have forty more years to go At City Hall, a slide gets shown All heads nod, the budget’s blown All approved, all so polite And nobody lost their sleep that night Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ No one sees where all the money goes Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ Feels like magic, ask around, nobody seems to know Ain’t that somethin’ Sun beats down, it’s a hundred ‘n two Dust in my lungs and mud on my boots Hands stay busy, head stays low Just tryin’ to earn what I already owe Suits stay cool in quiet rooms Counting numbers as the hours move It’s rollin’ in, gets stacked just right And it all adds up by the end of the night Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ No one sees where all the money goes Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ Feels like magic, ask around, nobody seems to know Ain’t that somethin’ Ain’t that somethin’ Ain’t that somethin Porch light hums, everything’s still Dinner’s cold, but I paid the bills Fresh clothes hangin’ by the bedroom door Same alarm’s waitin’ like the day before Up on the hill where the grass is green People chat, waiting for their meal One last drink, talk about their plan To rake in as many bucks as they can Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ No one sees where all the money goes Tell me, ain’t that somethin’ Feels like magic, ask around, nobody seems to know Ain’t that somethin’

I was raised on Sunday stories Wooden pews and borrowed light Learned to listen more than talkin’ Learned that faith ain’t black and white I don’t claim to know the answers Don’t pretend I understand I just try to live with purpose Do the good I know I can I ain’t such a church goin’ man But I know where I stand You can pray how you wanna pray Love how you wanna love Every heart’s got its own way Every soul’s findin’ peace Long as you live what you’re sayin’ You’re alright with me I’ve met people full of kindness Quiet truth behind their eyes Never needed words or banners Just their lives to testify So light your candles, sing your prayers Walk your roads, bear your scars If your mercy meets your neighbor I don’t care how you talk to God I ain’t such a church goin’ man But I know where I stand You can pray how you wanna pray Love how you wanna love Every heart’s got its own way Every soul’s findin’ peace Long as you live what you’re sayin’ You’re alright with me I ain’t here to judge your heaven Or the way you name your truth I just know belief means something When it shows up in what you do I ain’t such a church goin’ man But I know where I stand You can pray how you wanna pray Love how you wanna love Call it faith, call it mercy Call it hope, call it grace If your words match your footsteps We’re walkin’ the same place