A Lot Like Me

He was a long tall stranger from way down south

Where he'd left his life behind

He had a big old Gibson and a pickup truck

And Shenandoah eyes

And I remember him sitting in that local bar

Where I earned my pay each night

Singing my songs to empty chairs

And going home half tight

And so the nights rolled by like headlights

Shining on a lonesome strip of tar

I kept his word of kindness close to me

Like a pick on my guitar

And we talked about the singers

And the songs we loved

And the songs we'd most forgot

In that rundown bar they'd make last call

And I'd never want to stop

'Cause I was living on nothing but a young girl's dreams

With my cowboy boots and my old six string

Hitching my wagon to a star

Dreaming of leaving those local bars

When I'd get him up at closing time

For a couple of songs and a chance to shine

Like the star that he longed to be

He looked a Hell of a lot like me

Well he'd played a lot of places where

The only wages were food and beer for free

No fancy licks but he had him a gift

For the kinds of songs he'd ding

But you do what you can to be a satisfied man

Just to have your piece of mind

And so he gave it all up for a government job

Where the paychecks come on time

So now he comes to the bar to hear me play guitar

And to share a drink or two

And we sit swapping tales of where

We've been and what we'd rather do

Well there's a wealth of dangers

When you're talking to strangers

And I meet them all the time

But my heart knew better than my head

When I looked into those yes

'Cause I was living on nothing but a young girl's dreams

With my cowboy boots and my old six string

Hitching my wagon to a star

Dreaming of leaving those local bars

When I'd get him up at closing time

For a couple of songs and a chance to shine

Like the star that he longed to be

He looked a Hell of a lot like me

Well maybe I'll quit when I've got me a kid

And a place to call my own

But tonight there ain't nobody there

Waiting up for me at home

It's a helluva way to live from day to day

Not knowing where you're bound

But the look in his eyes made me realize

I was glad for the life I'd found

'Cause I was living on nothing but a young girl's dreams

With my cowboy boots and my old six string

Hitching my wagon to a star

Dreaming of leaving those local bars

When I'd get him up at closing time

For a couple of songs and a chance to shine

Like the star that he longed to be

He looked a Hell of a lot like me

Like the star that he longed to be

He looked a Hell of a lot like me