1. BEFORE SHE DOES

I believe that gas is too damn high
Ain’t nothin’ more American than Mama’s apple pie
I believe in love, I believe in peace
But I don’t believe we’ll ever see it in that Middle East
I believe the Bible is cold hard fact
And I believe that Jesus is comin’ back
Before she does

I believe the Sabbath is the day of rest
The tax man and the devil share the same address
I believe don’t start if you’re gonna quit
I believe in keep your mouth shut and carry a big stick
I believe dogs are better than cats
And I believe that Jesus is comin’ back
Before she does

There’s absolutely positively no doubt in my mind
That O.J. did it, Lee Harvey didn’t and she’s really gone this time

I believe that cold cold beer
Tastes better on a barstool than it does anywhere
I believe hard work really makes the man
But everyone should wet a line every now and then
I believe it’s best to pay in cash
And I believe that Jesus is comin’ back
Before she does

There’s absolutely positively no doubt in my mind
That O.J. did it, Lee Harvey didn’t and she’s really gone this time

I believe she was a real good thing
Can you believe I let a girl like her get away
I believe she meant it the night she packed
And said Jesus is comin’ back
Before she does
Before she does
Before she does



2. SINNERS LIKE ME

I was fifteen when my daddy's old man
Caught me half way through my first beer
He laughed so hard when my face turned green
He said “You come from a long line of sinners like me”

Now me and my brother go to see him some times
But he don't have much to say anymore
So we sit on his headstone with a fifth of Jack D.
Here's to a long line of sinners like me
La de dah de dah
La de dah dah de de
I come from a long line of sinners like me

My mama had a soft spot for a hell raisin' boy
So she had two more just like him
It takes an angel to raise a family
That comes from a long line of sinners like me

Well now maybe who knows one day I'll settle down
Give my dad a grandson of his own
And when the doctor smacks him, he'll probably take a swing
Cause he'll come from a long line of sinners like me
La de dah de dah
La de dah dah de de
I come from a long line of sinners like me

On the day I die
I know where I'm gonna go
Me and Jesus got that part worked out
I'll wait at the gates til his face I see
And stand in a long line of sinners like me
I'll stand in a long line of sinners like me

La de dah de dah
La de dah dah de de
I come from a long line of sinners like me
La de dah de dah
La de dah dah de de
Here’s to a long line of sinners like me
I come from a long line of sinners like me



3. HOW 'BOUT YOU

I know where I come from
How ’bout you
I don’t need baggy clothes or rings in my nose to be cool
The scars on my knuckles match the scuffs on these cowboy boots
There’s a whole lot more like me
How ’bout you

I punch the clock tryin’ to make it to the top
How ’bout you
I ain’t got no blue-blood trust fund I can dip into
Yeah I wish Uncle Sam would give a damn about the man whose collar’s blue
But if he don’t, Hell I’ll make it on my own
How ’bout you

Chorus:
How ’bout you
Do you feel the way I do
To tell the truth
I think we’re the chosen few
But that’s just me... How ’bout you

I still say yes ma’am to my mama
How ’bout you
If I shake your hand look you in the eye you can bet your ass it’ll be the truth
I cover my heart with my hat when they fly that red, white and blue
Just like my daddy taught me... How ’bout you

(Repeat Chorus)

I like my country rockin’
How ’bout you
Just put me on a stage man, turn it up and I’ll turn it loose
Give me a crowd that’s redneck and loud and we’ll raise the roof
Hell I might just stay all night long

How ’bout you
Do you feel the way I do
To tell the truth
I think we’re the chosen few
How ’bout you
Do you feel the way I do
’Cause man I know where I come from... How ’bout you



4. THESE BOOTS

These boots have counted off many a band
Playing one night roadhouse stands
For tips in empty rooms
These boots have stood toe-to-toe
With the biggest baddest Joes
Like they had some things to prove
These boots

These boots more than once saved my ass
Like the time they hid that grass
From those cops in Tupelo
And these boots have danced with the devil
And nearly lost that battle to Wild Irish Rose

Chorus:
I’ve wore out more soles then I’d care to count
Done more stupid things than most would dare to
I’ve kicked myself more times than not
For the roads they led me down
But the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen ’em do
Is walkin’ out on you

These boots had to see California
And an Arizona morning
Where God paints the sky
And these boots had to spur that beast in Cheyenne
Thought that bull made me a real man
I still drag that leg sometimes

(Repeat Chorus)

Now these boots are one step from the door
They walked out of years before
I can almost see her now
These boots oughta kick that door aside
Stomp out my foolish pride
But they just turn around
Damn these boots...Damn these boots
These boots



5. WHAT I ALMOST WAS

It was my senior year, I just turned eighteen
I was a Friday night hero with Division I dreams
I had an offer on the table, a four-year ride
’Til that fourth and two and twenty-four dive

I left on a stretcher, wound up on a crutch
Walked on that next summer, wound up gettin’ cut
I flipped off that coach, left that school in the dust
For lettin’ my dreams go bust
But I thank God I ain’t what I almost was

Yeah I moved on back home
And came awful close to being some son-in-law to some C.E.O.
Could have been a corner office, country club, suit-and-tie man
Answering to no one but her and him

I ran out on his money, ran out on her love
At four in the morning, I loaded my truck
I left my hometown in a big cloud of dust
I just had to follow my gut
And I thank God I ain’t what I almost was

In Guitar Town, I bought this old Epiphone
Started stringin’ chords and words into songs
I been puttin’ in time on Sixteenth Avenue
Pouring out my heart for tips on a stool

I ain’t making a killing but then there’s those nights
When the song comes together and hits ’em just right
The crowd’s on their feet ’cause they can’t get enough
Of this music I make and I love
And I thank God I ain’t, Yeah I thank God I ain’t
Man I thank God I ain’t what I almost was



6. THE HARD WAY

Only fools would race down Gristmill Road
Let alone in angry weather
That’s what I tell everyone I know
Now that I know better

That’s a lesson I wish I would have learned
Without having to watch my Mustang burn
Before my best buddy had to wind up hurt
And his whole life was changed
That’s a lesson I wish I didn’t learn
The hard way

Only a fool would keep a diamond ring
In a box on the top of his closet
He came so close, he almost asked
It was right there in his pocket

That’s a lesson I wish I would have learned
Before standing in the back row of that church
Watching her daddy givin’ her
To the man who took my place
That’s a lesson I wish I didn’t learn
The hard way

Regrets been known to give a man a beatin’
But I ain’t in the mood for fighting back this evening

Only fools don’t take the time of day
They stay too busy running
To stop just once and tell their dad
Just how much they love him

That’s a lesson I wish I would have learned
Before the phone call came and it was her
No, Mama never had to say a word
I knew it was too late
That’s a lesson I wish I didn’t learn
The hard way... The hard way
The hard way... The hard way



7. GUYS LIKE ME

I wear a greasy ball cap
I like my shirt untucked
I spend Saturdays workin’ on my truck
I don’t like to fight
But I ain’t scared to bleed
Most don’t mess with a guy like me

Chorus:
’Cause like guys like me drink too many beers
On Friday after work
Our best blue jeans have Skoal rings
We wear our boots to church
So rough around the edges it’s hard to believe
That girls like you love guys like me

Your daddy worked at the bank
Mine worked on cars
You went to college, I pulled graveyard
You must have had your pick
Of all the trust-fund types
But you came back to me and only God knows why

(Repeat Chorus)

There’s a lot of guys like me out there
In a lot of little towns
Tellin’ all our buddies we won’t ever settle down
We say that’s just the way we are
And the way we’ll always be
So God sends girls like you for guys like me
Thank God there’s girls like you
For guys like me



8. LIGHTNING

These four walls of Farnworth
Are closin’ in on me
My final meal is over
They’re gonna set me free
I can feel the fires a burnin’
As the devil guards my door
I hit my knees in search of Jesus
On a cold jailhouse floor

Lord now I’m singin’
Get me out of here
I see the preacher’s eyes
As my daughter cries
When they strap me in this chair
Lord I hope she forgives me
For livin’ my life this way
Tonight I’ll ride the lightning
To my final judgment day

Every life owes a death
That’s what the Bible says
I owe mine to this state
For shootin’ that boy to death
A liquor store attendant
He was reachin’ for his gun
Now his mama sits there smilin’
As the boss yells, “Roll on one”

And now I’m singin’
Get me out of here
I see the preacher’s eyes
As my daughter cries
When they strap me in this chair
I hope she forgives me
For leavin’ her this way
Tonight I’ll ride the lightning
To my final resting place

A hungry blue-eyed baby cryin’
Made me rob that store
And as that boy lay there dyin’
I dropped my pistol on the floor
Yeah I’d take it all back
But there’s nothin’ I can do
They’ve covered my face
And the order’s gone through
As the boss yells, “Roll on two”

Now I’m flyin’ up and out of here
I close my eyes and slowly rise
Let my body leave this chair
Lord I hope you forgive me
For livin’ my life this way
Tonight I ride the lightning
To my final resting place

These four walls of Farnworth
Are closin’ in on me



9. CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

Never realized how much she brought to the table
’Til I went to sit my cup of coffee where the table used to be
No couch, no bed, no heirloom antique cradle
No more hope for one day startin’ that family
Bet she’s gainin’ fast on Memphis
With a trailer load in tow
Who says you can’t take it with you when you go

Chorus:
She got away with everything that I had goin’
And she got away before I could make it all alright
And I got a way with leavin’ what needs said unspoken
Hell I even blew the chance I had to say goodbye
Yeah she took her heart and took off down that road
And they say you can’t take it with you when you go

Good news is ain’t much here left for packin’
Bad news is she left behind a million memories
All the echoes of her cryin’ lovin’ and laughin’
Left me with nothin’ left to do but leave
That old house is in the rearview, ridin’ shotgun is her ghost
Who says you can’t take it with you when you go

(Repeat Chorus)

Closin’ in on Dallas now
Is the best love I’ve ever known
And they say you can’t take it with you when you go



10. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE HAG (Featuring Merle Haggard)

There’s a little dive on a dead-end road
Called the Cross-Eyed Cricket Waterin’ Hole
Where you can hear the sound of a steel guitar
And get loud and rowdy on PBR
But at the top of every hour, man you can hear a pin drop
’Cause ol’ Jack drops in a quarter
And plays Merle on the jukebox and we stop and

Chorus:
Tip our hats and raise our glasses of cold cold beer
They say country’s fading
But we’re still waving that flag around here
When it’s time to go you know you’re welcome back
Where the people pledge allegiance to the Hag

When the weekend comes and the weather’s clear
There’s a high spot 15 miles from here
Where you can always find a few dusty trucks
With the windows down and radio up
We sit there poppin’ tops, shootin’ bull and singin’ songs
But you can bet your boots that when Haggard comes on

(Repeat Chorus)

One of these days when my time has come
You can take me back to where I’m from
Put me on a westbound train
And ship me off in the pourin’ rain
Don’t cry for me when I’m gone
Just put a quarter in the jukebox and sing me back home and

Tip your hats and raise your glasses of cold cold beer
They say country’s fading
But just keep waving that flag around here
And I know it’ll keep on coming back
As long as people pledge allegiance
Where folks still pledge allegiance



11. TWO PINK LINES

She was pacin’ back and forth on her front porch
I pulled up slingin’ gravel in my daddy’s Ford
She cried all the way to Johnson’s store
I kept the motor runnin’ and parked by the door

Yeah I was foolish and wild, she was classic and regal
We were fresh out of school both barely legal
We were young and on fire and just couldn’t wait
Six weeks in, she was three weeks late

One means none and we’re home free
Two means three and a diamond ring

Yeah wonderin’ what fate is gonna decide
We’re just sittin’ around waitin’ on two pink lines
Sittin’ around waitin’ on two pink lines

Her daddy’s gonna kill me and that’s a fact
Maybe we’ll just leave town and never come back
Or I could stand there and tell him, face him like a man
Aw who am I kiddin’ he’ll never understand

That second hand just keeps slowin’ down
I swear it stopped twice the last time around

We’ll know the truth in three minutes’ time
We’re just sittin’ around waitin’ on two pink lines
Sittin’ around waitin’ on two pink lines

Hot summer nights whisperin’ her name
Under a blanket by the river bank
Hearts beating fast we never thought twice
She pulled me close and I held on tight

When the moment of truth finally comes
She gives me a look and then comes undone
She says looks like we’re lucky
Someone’s smilin’ down
She grabs her coat and says
See ya around

Yeah these days the rabbit doesn’t die
You just sit around waitin’ on
two pink lines
Prayin’ that fate is on your side
Sittin’ around waitin’ on
two pink lines
Sittin’ around waitin’ on
two pink lines



12. LIVIN' PART OF LIFE

I woke up early this morning
And I’m already running late
There’s a list of things long as my arm
I won’t get done today
Is it Tuesday, is it Wednesday
They’re running into each other
Somebody tell me when it’s my day
Man this life can sure be a mother

Chorus:
So tomorrow I’m taking me fishing
Hang a sign on the door of my life
Tell the world that I’ve gone missing
And I won’t be back for awhile
I’m so tired of only wishing
I could leave my trouble behind
I wanna be front porch rocking
With the big sun dropping in a blue sky
Kick back and get high
On the livin’ part of life

They say to keep your spot on the ladder
And keep that money rolling in
They say keeping up with the Thiles
Boy you can’t back off one inch

Well I’ve been putting in my time
And I’ve built up a pretty good debt
I’m gonna spend some
Maybe waste some
Before my time comes and
I wind up dead

(Repeat Chorus)

When I get home tonight
I’ll open the window
And let whatever roll in
And if there’s no breeze
That’s cool with me
I’ll just raise my sail
And wait on the wind

Yeah tomorrow I’m taking me fishing
Hang a sign on the door of my life
Tell the world that I’ve gone missing
And I won’t be back for awhile
I’m so tired of only wishing
I could leave my trouble behind
I wanna be front porch rocking
With the big sun dropping in a blue sky
Kick back and get high
Kick back and get high
On the livin’, the livin’ part of life