Who I've Always Been

You walk in here with your guitar man
Your shiny boots and your full-on band
A smile on your face, a knife in your hand
Singing songs you got memorized
With whatever talent money buys
So polished that it slips right through your hands

But don't worry yourself, I ain't your competition
But don't flatter yourself, that was never my intention

I want to talk about what you are that I ain't
Let's talk about what you do that I can't
Let's talk about me and you in an empty room and who wins
Let's talk about what you did to get here
Let's talk about blood and sweat and tears
Let's talk about what you want to be and who I've always been

I walk in here with a beat up case
The same guitar I've always played
And the words I wrote down on a page
When I was 12 years old and small town raised
You tell the crowd you're paying dues
I tell them this is what I do
And it's what I put my life into
As I breathe the smoke and cheap perfume

And say life on music row is rough conditions
Oh, but the easy ride was never my ambition

I want to talk about what you are that I ain't
Let's talk about what you do that I can't
Let's talk about me and you in an empty room and who wins
Let's talk about what you did to get here
Let's talk about blood and sweat and tears
Let's talk about what you want to be and who I've always been

Let's talk about your childhood days
You were the prom queen, I was on this stage
So where's that crown gotten you these days
When it's me and you and the same damn games?

So what have you got that I ain't?
And what do you do that I can't?
Let's put me and you in an empty room and see who wins

Let's talk about what you did to get here
Let's talk about blood and sweat and tears
Let's talk about who you want to be, girl
And who I've always been