On the edge of a parking lot
Trying to find the strength to go in
So I can unburden my aching heart
And my shift can begin
I fill the late set on Thursday night
Playing songs that all sound the same
Strumming guitar for the dim lights and hound dogs
Who think it’s funny to mispronounce my name
Sip of whiskey is on my table
Keeps my voice low and my head high
Next to a tip jar I labeled
That promises a love song for a five
It hasn’t always been strip mall pubs
In a town no one knows
Took a chance at the life I love
But I saw how far dreams could go
Played my hand down in New Orleans
They kicked my ass to L.A.
Made my last stand in Kansas City
But they sent me crawling back to where I came
Thought I was made for the gamble
That I was ready for the game
But it was more than I could handle
Besides, most clubs are the same anyway
So I settled for good enough
Because it gets me through today
Tomorrow I know they’ll be sure to come
Brighter nights are coming my way
Try to stay mindful of the time I got left
As I watch the bar start to close down
I got one more song to go in my set
So I hope that my soul will be found
Soon I’ll be dining on city lights
Beneath marquees with my name
For now I’m counting my money on the bar
Eating cold chicken under green fluorescent shades
But I’m more than a bar tab
And a guitar on a stool
Bigger than this untethered heart
Singing about dreams like a fool
I'm more than a bar tab
And a guitar on a stool
Bigger than this untethered heart
Singing about his dreams like a fool