Bryan Elijah Smith

LYRICS  

1. MAN I USED TO BE

Like a needle in a thread
Theres cobwebs in my head
Been up since Saturday night
If you ain't gonna shake me
Nothing's gonna break me
Holler if you're lookin' for a fight

It's getting harder to see
Thru the devil in me
I know you wanna believe
But it ain't nothing new
I ain't the man that I used to be

Riding down the road been taking its toll
Been up chasing little white lines
If you ain't gonna save me
Baby don't blame me
Maybe I'm still looking for the light

It's getting harder to see
Thru the devil in me
I know you wanna believe
But it ain't nothing new
I ain't the man that I used to be

And the government don't care unless you're a millionaire
They're sending all the money overseas
While I'm digging my ditch waiting for a pitch
But no one ever throws one to me

It's getting harder to see
Thru the devil in me
I know you wanna believe
But it ain't nothing new
I ain't the man that I used to be

And the landlord's keeping score, knockin' at my front door
Telling me I'm two months late
Well I can't make the rent, guess I'll hop a fence
Wondering when the music's gonna pay

It's getting harder to see
Thru the devil in me
I know you wanna believe
But it ain't nothing new
I ain't the man that I used to be

2. AIN'T HALF BAD

Sweet little mama, don't move so fast
Quit dancin' on the graves, you're diggin' up the past
Bring you flowers in the morning and whiskey by the glass
I know I ain't good, but I ain't half bad

The Devil's in a bottle, lookin' at me
I'm out on the floor, cuttin' my teeth
Don't you know it's all a game, and it ain't gonna last
I know I ain't good, but I ain't half bad

Blood on the tracks, and a holler on the hill
Prophet in a parlor, tryin' to cut a deal
I'm on the six string in a ten dollar hat
I know I ain't good, but I ain't half bad

Sweet little mama, still singin' in my head
Your shadow in the moonlight, a ghost in the bed
You know my love ain't easy, but it's the best you've had
I know I ain't good, but I ain't half bad
I know I ain't good, but I ain't half bad

3. SHOULDA BEEN

Shoulda been a captain so I could sail out to sea
Shoulda been a dentist so I would have perfect teeth
Shoulda been asleep so I could live out this dream
Shoulda been anything but what I chose to be

Shoulda been a model on the cover of magazines
Or a politician so I could lie on TV
Shoulda been famous so I could get shit for free
Shoulda been anything but what I chose to be

Shoulda taken lessons so I would know how to sing
Shoulda been a doctor so I could buy you that ring
Shoulda been a preacher so I could make you believe
Shoulda been anything but what I chose to be

Shoulda been an actor so I would know what to say
Shoulda been a morning so I would never be up late
Shoulda been a sell out instead I, I played for free
Shoulda been anything but what I chose to be

Shoulda been a father instead I was a son of a gun
Shoulda been the finish line so I would never have to run
Shoulda been asleep so I could live out this dream
Shoulda been anything but what I chose to be

4.  LAST JOINT

My ties are cut, my heart is broke
My nerves are shot, and my last joint is smoked
Singing ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey

This world's a prison, it's all gone to hell
And I met the warden, but I couldn't make the bail
Singing ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey

I'll keep running, ain't that the truth
I don't need the devil when I'm so close to you
Singing ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey

I'm underpaid, and I'm overworked
Damn nine to 5, come on take me to church
Singing ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, hey

This world's a prison, it's all gone to hell
And I met the warden, but I couldn't make the bail
Singing I'll keep running, ain't that the truth
I don't need the devil when I'm so close to you
I'll keep running, ain't that the truth
I don't need the devil when I'm so close to you

My ties are cut, my heart is broke
My nerves are shot, and my last joint is smoked

5. BAD NEWS

Hey there mama I been drinking
I been thinking about you
If I'm running, maybe I'm running away from you
Read it in the headline
Cause I ain't nothing but bad news

Early in the morning I been working
I ain't thinking about you
If I'm running, maybe I'm running away from you
Read it in the headline
Cause I ain't nothing but bad news

Hey there mama I been dreaming
I ain't thinking about you
If I"m driving, maybe I'm driving away from you
Read it in the headline
Cause I ain't nothing but bad news

Early in morning I been working
I ain't thinking about you
If I'm crawling, maybe I'm crawling away from you
Read it in the headline
Cause I ain't nothing but bad news

6. HIGHWAYS & HOTELS

Hungry and wild
Can't seem to settle down
Can't turn the dial
No signal to be found

So take my hand
And help me understand like a child
Then hang my heart
Up on the wall a little while
Just don't frame my love again

Highway is empty
There's a song in my head
Hotel is haunted
There's a ghost in my bed

So take my hand
And help me understand like a child
Then hang my heart
Up on the wall a little while
Just don't frame my love again

Somebody save me
From the darkness I drew
No turning back
To the devil I knew

So take my hand
And help me understand like a child
Then hang my heart
Yeah up on your wall a little while
Just don't frame my love again
Please don't frame this love again

7. ANOTHER BONE

My heart breaks, my head aches, been sleeping in the rain
My love's gone, life's gone wrong, been going insane
Mmm I wanna go home
If they don't catch me soon, throw this dog another bone

Your voice cracks, my eyes creak, as I'm turning your way
Your gun smokes, my heart drops, been lying there for days
Mmm I wanna go home
If they don't catch me soon, throw this dog another bone

Can you fix me, call a doctor, I'm losing blood in vain
Ten years now, ten more gone, bleeding out for the fame
Mmm I wanna go home
If they don't catch me soon, throw this dog another bone

My Lord waits, for God's sake, on a northbound train
Can you save me, one more seat, don't forget my name
Mmm I wanna go home
If they don't catch me soon, throw this dog another bone
If they don't catch me soon, throw this dog another bone

8. BACK TO YOU

You got my shoulder
I got your tongue
Don't see the devil
When he's on the run
It gets hard brother
It gets hard to tell the truth
It's a long way to heaven
Ain't that far back to you

Your pretty glass house
You call your own
I heard the devil
He waits alone
It gets hard sister
It gets hard to know the truth
It's a long way to heaven
Ain't that far back to you

I broke them bottles
I broke my bones
I heard the angels
Calling me home
It gets hard Jesus
It gets hard to refuse
It's a long road to heaven
Ain't that far back to you
It's a long road to heaven
Ain't that far back to you

9. TWO CENTS

Been riding the roads of Virginia
Been walking the trail singing songs
I used to think that I knew it all
Guess you were right when you said I was wrong
I used to think that I was stronger
I held the sun and moon above my head
Now I'm tied to a rock at the bottom of this ocean
Where I buried every word I never said

Everyday I wake up a little older
And the lines on my face are growing strong
Been trying to keep two cents about me
But somehow my money's all gone

I used to think that love was the answer
I used to talk to God in the wind
Till I burned every bridge I was crossing
When I confessed all of my sins

Everyday I wake up a little older
And the lines on my face are growing strong
Been trying to keep two cents about me
But somehow my money's all gone

Been riding the roads of Virginia
Been walking the trail for way too long
Still trying to keep two cents about me
But somehow my money's all gone

10. CHASING THE BLUES

My time's a-comin, Lord knows it will
My head keeps spinnin, my body's still
It don't feel right, if I ain't coming back to you
I ain't running, I'm just chasing the blues

Full moon's a-risin, it won't be long
Ain't no believin, baby 'til it's gone
It don't feel right, if I ain't coming back to you
I ain't running, I'm just chasing the blues

My train's a-leavin, passin' me by
I sit and wave with no tears to cry
It don't feel right, if I ain't coming back to you
I ain't leaving, I'm just chasing the blues
I ain't leaving, I'm just chasing the blues

11. ONLY GOD

I ain't from Texas and I ain't from Tennessee
Virginia's in my blood like the fish in the stream
And my daddy wore a Bible, and my brother wore a bruise
When I was taught not to lie too far from the truth

Cause the bridge is gonna burn
And the mountain's gonna cry
When the devil has his turn
With only God knowing why

I've always been a runner, but I know how to fight
Laid up in a corner, waiting on the morning
but the morning never showed its light
Now I ain't good for nothing and nothing's good for me
But I'll take a little more, raise a glass, pour a drink

Cause the bridge is gonna burn
And the mountain's gonna cry
When the devil has his turn
With only God knowing why

I ain't born from money, never had a silver spoon
But I can feed myself well digging down, paying dues
I don't need your foot in the door,
I don't need your helping hand
Like I don't need a mirror to know the shape that I'm in

Cause the bridge is gonna burn
And the mountain's gonna cry
On the day I get my turn
With only God knowing
With only God knowing why
With only God