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
 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
 Chorus: 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
 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
 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
 Chorus:
 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
 Chorus: