song profile

WE WERE BORN ON THE EDGE OF A ONE HORSE TOWN
WHERE THE GRAVEL TURNED TO DIRT
BAPTISED BY FIRE AND IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB
BLUE COLLARS ON OUR SHIRTS
WELL WE GREW UP FAST AND WE GREW UP MEAN
AND WE GREW UP OUT OF CONTROL
WE GREW UP LIVING TO ROCK
THEN THE GIRLS TAUGHT US HOW TO ROLL
YEAH BLINDED BY OUR OWN BRIGHT LIGHTS TO THE WAYS OF THE WICKED WORLD
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MIDDLE WEST 
WHILE THE FLAGS OF WAR UNFURLED

BUT WE NEVER THOUGHT TWICE 
BOUT THIS AMERICAN LIFE, WE GET TO LIVE

I HAD A SEVENTY-NINE V-8 HEAVY CHEVY 
THAT COULD STILL DO ONE-FIFTEEN
AND WE’D RUMBLE ON THROUGH NIGHTS ON END 
DRINKING BEER AND GASOLINE
WE KNEW ALL THE WORDS TO GUITAR TOWN 
AND EVERY JOHNNY COUGAR SONG
PARADISE CITY BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT
SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
SOME OF US GOT TO COLLEGE
SOME SIGNED UP FOR WAR
SOME WENT STRAIGHT FROM SCHOOL TO WORK 
TO THE FACTORY RIGHT NEXT DOOR

BUT WE NEVER THOUGHT TWICE BOUT THIS AMERICAN LIFE…HI YI YI

…1…2…3...GO!

BRIDGE:
WELL I GOT MY FIRST KISS ON A SUMMER’S NIGHT 
IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THE CHURCH
SHE WAS KICKIN OFF SPARKS LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY 
BENEATH JESUS ON HIS PERCH
NOW SOMETIMES THESE DAYS I CATCH MYSELF 
STILL STARRING OFF INTO THE NIGHT
WISHIN ON SOME STAR ABOVE 
THAT WE WERE STILL RUNNING BLIND
BUT LIKE RAIN ON THE MOUNTAIN
OR LONELY WAVES UP ON A SHORE
INNOCENCE HAS BEEN WASHED AWAY 
LIKE ANCIENT DAYS OF YORE
NOW THE DAYS OF LIFE KEEP FLYIN BY 
WHILE WE’RE MARCHING THROUGH OUR 9 TO 5’S
KAMIKAZES ARE FILLING UP OUR SKIES 
IN THE DAY FOR ALL SLOW MEN TO DIE
BUT THERE’S A FIRE STILL BURNING DOWN BELOW 
I GOT ELVIS AND DON QUIXOTE ON THE PHONE
WHILE THE GOOD AND THE BAD AND THE UGLY PRAY
FOR ONE LAST GREAT WHITE BUFFALO

BUT WE NEVER THOUGHT TWICE 
BOUT THIS AMERICAN LIFE
OH NO WE NEVER THOUGHT TWICE BOUT THIS AMERICAN LIFE