Nashville Kid

An old singer reflects on his choices

There's a few more wrinkles and some grey in his beard, reminders of passing time.

His voice a little rusty from the cigarettes and whiskey he vows to give up from time to time.

But there's another pack and a fifth on the table, it'd be a shame to let them go to waste.

'Cause they both work together to drown out the memories that when sober are too painful to face.

 

But he's still got the boys in the band and a couple of fans who come and see him on Friday nights.

He brings down the house when he sings "Born to Lose."

You know they wrote it about his life.

He curses the choices he made as a young man, regret grows stronger each year.

'Cause he's just the old man who plays the Club 95, when he should have been the Nashville Kid.

 

He laughed when she left him 'cause he knew there'd be others, as soon as he got that "big break".

A wife and kids, unwelcome responsibility - he wasn't willing to face.

If he only knew then what future faces him now, he'd have got out a long time ago.

But playing star down at the Club 95 is the only life he knows.

 

But he's still got the boys in the band and a couple of fans who come and see him on Friday nights.

He brings down the house when he sings "Born to Lose."

You know they wrote it about his life.

He curses the choices he made as a young man, regret grows stronger each year.

'Cause he's just the old man who plays the Club 95, when he should have been the Nashville Kid.

Author's Note

I used to go to Club 95 as a young singer and watched the lead singer (who later in life committed suicide) sing and perform with his band. He was really good and should have "made it." His wife ended up leaving him and I thought his life was tragic. I wrote the song when I quit Nashville and moved back home.