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 words 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 his food and beer for free
No fancy licks but he had him a gift
For the kinds of songs he'd sing
But you do what you can to be a satisfied man
Just to have your peace 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'd always be
He looked a Hell of a lot like me