[Intro] [Driving banjo roll, stomp kick, fiddle drone, 4 bars] [Verse 1] Motel off the interstate, the sign half burnin' out, Tater's in the parking lot, already runnin' his mouth, Preacher's wearin' readers now, Doc's had both knees done, Last time we were all together, we were twenty-one. Five minutes in, I'm in a headlock by the ice machine, Callin' me a name I ain't been called since I was nineteen, Night clerk bangs the door at two, says, "Boys, act your age," We are, ma'am— we're nineteen, and we just got off the plane. [Chorus] Bad backs, gray beards, same damn fools, Put us in a room and the years come loose, Still swing on the bouncer, still sing too loud, Still close the bar and get thrown out, Pour it for twelve, there's only nine— Drink the other three and swear we're fine. [Gang Vocals, shouted] Same damn fools! [Verse 2] Three a.m. on a tailgate, the cooler's mostly water, Tater's showin' pictures of his grandbaby and his daughter, Doc still sleeps with the TV on, Preacher still don't sleep, And none of us have told our wives the half of what we keep. Two came home in a box with a flag across the lid, One came home and made it twelve years, then did what he did. Somebody cranks the radio 'fore the quiet can come in, 'Cause quiet's where you lose 'em— we ain't losin' one again. [Chorus] Bad backs, gray beards, same damn fools, Put us in a room and the years come loose, Still swing on the bouncer, still sing too loud, Still close the bar and get thrown out, Pour it for twelve, there's only nine— Drink the other three and swear we're fine. [Gang Vocals, shouted] Same damn fools! [Instrumental Break] [Fiddle solo over banjo roll, 8 bars] [Bridge] [Half-time, banjo and kick only, near-spoken] Doc found me out back with a doctor's letter in my hand, Gave me that same look he gave boys out in the sand, I said, "Not a word tonight— let 'em have their fun," He lit my smoke and said, "I've carried heavier ones." [Final Chorus] [Full band, gang vocals, heavy stomps] Bad backs, gray beards, same damn fools, Put us in a room and the years come loose, Still swing on the bouncer, still sing too loud, Still close the bar and get thrown out, Pour it for twelve, there's only nine— Drink the other three and swear we're fine. [Gang Vocals, shouted] Same damn fools! [Chorus] Bad backs, gray beards, same damn fools, Put us in a room and the years come loose, Still swing on the bouncer, still sing too loud, Still close the bar and get thrown out, Pour it for twelve, next year it's eight— Drink mine too, boys, and swear I'm late. [Gang Vocals, shouted] Same damn fools! [Outro] [Band stops dead, lone banjo] [Spoken, Male] See y'all next year. [Final stomp hit] [End]
