Well a long time ago when I left home I never thought I would be
Part of a wheel in a cog on a belt that turned the big machine
I wanted out on the road or down on the street or something wild and free
But now I'm payin' the bills and movin' the country in Nashville Tennessee

They promise you this they promise you that you never know what to believe
All I want is to live the good life that someone promised me
You try to be honest you try to be fair but the blame is always on me
Cause I'm payin' the bills and movin' the country in Nashville, Tennessee

Long black shadow reachin' way too far crampin' everybody's style
Everybody here gets to be a star but when the lights go out you're still on trial

No matter where I go or what I do it never seems good enough
All I know is if it don't kill me it's gonna make me tough
Tryin' hard not to fall through the cracks and grease up that machine
But I'm payin' the bills and movin' the country in Nashville Tenneessee