Ballad of the Illinois Opry

Found myself heading down toward Springfield
The last sign said it was 12 miles west
It's getting hard to see through the salt on my windshield
Oh, but it looks like I'm gonna make it before the sun sets

The morning I arrived was Lincoln's birthday
So I walked through his house and saw his tomb
I decided that a tour through the Civil War Memorial Museum would be a drag
I was tired of seeing monuments 'bout another man's doom

Now I don't want you people to think that all there is around Springfield Illinois
Are landmarks telling 'bout the good old Lincoln years
'Cause just north of town, I saw a sign said the Illinois Opry is open tonight
And the sweet sound of country music filled my ears

Oh, I'm gonna be a star in the Illinois Opry now
People in the country certainly know how to play
Yeah, it may be a while before I'm ready
But I'm gonna be up on that stage someday
Whoa, c'mon

I could easily write a whole song about the licks that guitar man was picking
I could go on for hours 'bout the old boy on pedal steel
But I'm not singing 'bout the people who were just playing music
Oh no, I'm singing 'bout how fine their music made me feel

There's a lot of people who have taken years of lessons
Trying to learn how to make their music fit the trend
But the simple folks at the Opry have got something special
Oh Lord, and I think that we all could use a lesson or two from them

Oh, I'm gonna be a star in the Illinois Opry now
People in the country certainly know how to play
Just that it would, may be a while before I'm ready
Oh, I'm gonna be up on that stage someday
I'm gonna be up on that stage someday, oh yeah
I'm gonna be up on that stage someday, yes I am