[Instrumental Intro — filthy Telecaster riff, heavy rolling bass] [Verse 1] Had a little money on the table Had a little fire in my eyes Everything was going my direction For the first time in a while Could've stayed another hour Could've watched another climb Could've called it being hungry Could've called it taking mine Then that old familiar whisper Came sliding through my head Said, "Honey, look how good it's going Why would anybody leave?" [Pre-Chorus] Well, that's a mighty pretty question Got a mighty ugly twin If I need another dollar When does having enough begin? [Chorus] Leave while it's good Leave with a grin Don't need the whole damn mountain Just the ground I'm standing in Let the wheels keep turning Let the river keep running Ain't every good thing Gotta end with me coming undone Oh, I could stay Lord knows I could But there's something mighty sweet About leaving while it's good [Instrumental — guitar and bass trade short phrases] [Verse 2] Knew a man who couldn't leave a party Till the last light hit the floor Had a woman who could've loved him But he always wanted more Not another woman Not another place to be Just another little moment To prove he shouldn't leave Saw him standing in the doorway When the whole room had gone quiet Said, "I had myself a good night" Then he went and tried to buy it [Pre-Chorus] Funny how a little extra Can turn plenty into thin If you can't enjoy the winning What exactly did you win? [Chorus] Leave while it's good Leave with a grin Don't need the whole damn mountain Just the ground I'm standing in Let the wheels keep turning Let the river keep running Ain't every good thing Gotta end with me coming undone Oh, I could stay Lord knows I could But there's something mighty sweet About leaving while it's good [Long Instrumental — dirty blues bends, deep bass movement, psychedelic guitar counterpoint] [Bridge — intimate and dry] I used to think that walking Meant I didn't have the nerve Like the world was keeping score Of every thing I didn't earn Then I learned a little secret From a night I almost lost Ain't the leaving that gets expensive It's forgetting what it costs [Instrumental Breakdown — sparse bass, unresolved guitar] [Verse 3] Now the numbers keep on climbing And the screen is looking fine I can feel that old excitement Trying to borrow one more dime But I already made my promise When my head was clear and cool I don't change the destination Just because I like the view [Final Chorus — enormous groove, rising Telecaster] Leave while it's good Leave with a grin Don't need the whole damn mountain Just the ground I'm standing in Let the wheels keep turning Let the river keep running I can love the way it's moving Without needing every inch Oh, I could stay Lord knows I could But there's something mighty sweet About leaving while it's good [Extended Instrumental — soaring outlaw Telecaster solo, monstrous sub, psychedelic rhythmic mutation] [Outro — close and conversational] Look at that Still going up ... Good for somebody I got somewhere else to be
