Fence Post - Live

You know, If you kids have a dream
Don't you dare let anybody ever discourage you
And if they do discourage you
If they do discourage you, I want you to just store it in the back of your mind
And I want you to let that fuel your fire
And you need to understand, that God gave you tools
But you gotta pick 'em up and use 'em
If you wanna build your career, you got me?
Probably not the best time to just decide to play you a song
I hadn't played in a while with 70,000 people here or whatever there is
But I'm gonna try it anyways, y'all ready?
Here we go

He said, Son don't get offended by what I'm about to say
I can see you have a passion for the songs you write and play
But you lack what we all call commercial appeal
And you just don't have what it takes to make it here in Nashville
Ouch

Well my heart felt like a train wreck
But I wore a smile on my face
I said, thank you for your time sir
And I put this old guitar back in its case
Our little conversation was like a revelation redirecting my dreams
'Cause God knows I'd never sell my soul to rock and roll or rap
Or wear those tight fittin' skinny jeans

And you know I'd rather sing my own song than be a puppet on a string
I wear what I wanna wear
I'm gonna sing what I wanna sing
Heaven knows all I need is my faith, my fans, my friends and my family
Besides I'd rather be an old fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee

Well I loaded up my ol' pick up truck, and I drove back home to Amarillo
Got this gig off old Route 66 at this ballroom called The Armadillo
And for the first thousand shows or so not a soul showed up
I thought about quitting every other day but I just kept on kicking that cup

Yeah I kept on kicking that can surrounded by blood, sweat and beers
And wouldn't you know I became an overnight sensation in just over ten years
Now I'm packing out all the dancehalls and the rodeos every night
I got a pretty wife, a ranch, a band, a bus, a boat
And I'm playing the Houston Rodeo tonight

And you know I'd rather sing my own song than be a puppet on a string
I wear what I wanna wear
I'm gonna sing what I wanna sing
Heaven knows all I need is my faith, my fans, my friends and my family
Besides I'd rather be an old fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee

Well wouldn't you know that ol' record man showed up one night at this honky tonking bar
He said, "Son I believe you might just be the next big country star"
He said, "We like how you're keeping it raw, we like how you're keeping it real
And we think you may have what we all like to call commercial appeal"
I said "Huh"

Well you know I'd rather sing my own song than be a puppet on a string
I wear what I wanna wear, I'm gonna sing what I wanna sing
Heaven knows all I need is my faith, my fans, my friends and my family
Besides I'd rather be an old fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee

God bless Tennessee
But I'd rather be just an old fence post in Texas
Than sell my soul to rock n' roll or rap or wear those tight fittin' skinny jeans
Thank you