Rodney Atkins Album

Now he ain't much for talking but he means every word he says
And that color on his arms and neck ain't from no tanning bed
Leaves no doubt about where he stands on the Chevy or the Lord
Yeah, you can always tell a country boy, yeah

Now his idea of heaven is home sweet home, East Tennessee
But for a girl like you, he would pull up roots
And move down the road a piece
He'll always take his own sweet time if you give him a choice
Yeah, you can always tell a country boy

Yeah, you can always tell him but you can't tell him much
'Cause all he is ever gonna be is who he always was
A cross between his old man and his mama's pride and joy
You can always tell a country boy

He'll go off and take a long walk when he needs some time to think
Might even you let drive his truck when he's had too much to drink
'Bout as true blue as Old Glory waitin' out there on the porch
You can always tell a country boy

Yeah, you can always tell him but you can't tell him much
Sometimes his gears turn so slow you swear they're gonna rust
From the way he bangs that old guitar to the gravel in his voice
You can always tell a country boy

Now you can drag him from the country every now and then
But you can't drive them 40 acres out of him

Yeah, you can always tell him but you can't tell him much
He's on the fence about a lot of things but on you his mind's made up
'Cause he swears there's nothing sweeter
Than the sweet sound of your voice
You can always tell a country boy
Whatever's on your heart, now come on and tell this country boy

It started out summer fun
Chasin' Ally Brooke with a water gun
She'd laugh and she'd scream
She'd run and say you can't catch me

Well time passed I turned sixteen
Crusin' from the Sonic to the Dairy Queen
Runnin' the roads we ruled like kings

We'd say, well here comes Ally with her hot friends
They got water balloons in their hands
Oh man they got me now let's get them

(Chorus)
Chasin' girls, what a life
Man I love them can't get enough of them
From their toes up to their curls

Chasin' girls, hard to catch
Sweet to hold, even tougher to let them go
Nothin' like it in the whole wide world
Chasin' girls

Caught Ally Brooke, and that was that
Bought a home bungalo on a culdesac
Settled in, and I knew that my girl chasin' day were through

Until she handed me the EPT
I said tell me what this blue strip means
That was then, and now our twins are three

And it's who left the popsicle on the couch
Don't let that dog lick you in the mouth
Up and down all around this house
I'm right back to where I started out

(Chorus)
Chasin' girls, what a life
Man I love them can't get enough of them
From their toes up to their curls

Chasin' girls, hard to catch
Sweet to hold, even tougher to let them go
Nothin' like it in the whole wide world
Chasin' girls

Last night I had a nightmare
The future was now here
My little girls were in their teens
And then these teenage boys appeared

Oh no
Yeah

(Chorus)
Chasin' girls, hard to catch
Sweet to hold, even tougher to let them go
Ain't nothin' like it in the whole wide world
Chasin' girls

Chasin' girls
Oh
Whoo

Ain't it something? You can jump on a plane
And hop on a bus, catch you a train
Take in a Saturday game at Wrigley Field

Man, ain't it awesome? You can hit Talladega
Drink you a beer with the fan of the driver
You've always hated and probably always will

Yeah, I forget how good I got it sometimes
How lucky I am just to be alive
Oh, I pass through a prayer to the man upstairs
Just to thank Him like I should
Let Him know I get it, I got it good

Oh, it's amazing that boy in the yard
Is half of my wife and God bless his heart
The other half is every last bit of me

I can't explain it how his mama wound up with somebody like me
When she could've done so much better
Make you fall down on your knees

Yeah, I forget how good I got it sometimes
How lucky I am just to be alive
Oh, I pass through a prayer to the man upstairs
Just to thank Him like I should
Let Him know I get it, I got it good, yes I do

I get going so fast that what matters gets blurred
And I can't feel the grass, see the trees, hear the birds
The sky starts to rain and I cuss and complain like a fool

Yeah, I forget how good I got it sometimes
How lucky I am just to be alive
Oh, I pass through a prayer to the man upstairs
Just to thank Him like I should
Let Him know I get it, God I got it good, yes, I do
Get it, got it good, yes I got it good

Football, alcohol, power tools, bird dogs
Gentlemen start your engines
Pool tables, honky tonks, blackjack, Haggard songs
Seventh game extra innin's
That's the best things that's happened to men since women, yeah

You got your four wheelers, pick up trucks, camouflage, hunting bucks
Guns, knives, hunting and fishing
Spark plugs, oil grease, horse power, more speed
Big blocks and transmissions
That's the best things that's happened to men since women, yeah

Yeah, you women are second to none
Beat all I've seen and all I've done
Ain't no such thing as having more fun than with you
So here's to you

Yeah, you women are second to none
Beat all I've seen and all I've done
Sometimes we can't get no lovin' from you
So whatcha gotta do?

Beer pong, eighteen holes, box boats, super bowls
Grilling out steaks and chicken
Loud guitars, throwin' darts, hanging 'round playin' cards
Goin' all in and winnin'
That's the best things that's happened to men since women, yeah

Yeah, you women are second to none
Beat all I've seen and all I've done
Ain't no such thing as having more fun than with you
So here's to you, yeah, yeah, yeah girls here's to you

I sat beside a man from Hollywood, California on a plane
He said he had rich and famous friends, yeah he liked droppin' names
I said, "Well, howdy do, that's good for you, I dig a lot of those actors
But son you ain't got a thing on me, see I got friends with tractors"

They'll grow your groceries, haul a load
Pull you out and fix the road
They're good at slowin' speeders down
When they pass through from out of town

I'll live out in the country happily ever after
I got everything I need 'cause I got friends with tractors

On Friday night we hit the woods, go boggin' in our trucks
It's just about a guarantee some good ole boy gets stuck
Where I come from, you can bet your butt a mud hole ain't a factor
I'll sink mine to the floorboards' cause I got friends with tractors

And they'll grow your groceries, haul a load
Pull you out and fix the road
They're good at slowing speeders down
When they pass through from out of town

I'll live out in the country happily ever after
I got everything I need 'cause I got friends with tractors
Yee haw

I've been to fancy five star restaurants and I left there barely filled
They charged me for the water, the butter and the bread
That gourmet meal looked more to me like fish bait on a cracker
But I'll stay fat and happy 'cause I got friends with tractors

And they'll grow your groceries, haul a load
Pull you out and fix the road
They're good at slowin' speeders down
When they pass through from out of town

I'll live out in the country happily ever after
I got everything I need 'cause I got friends with tractors
Yeah, I got everything I need 'cause I got friends with tractors
Yee haw

Yeah man, talking about Internationals
John Deeres, Massey Fergusons
Whatever you got, we don't discriminate
Front end loaders, bush hogs, post hole diggers
Need 'em, gotta have 'em

I believe I do know one actor
Is Larry the cable guy an actor?
Oh well, he's got a tractor

I got a call from my best friend this evening
He said he wasn't going out with us guys on Friday night
Yeah, he was gonna change for his new found flame to keep her satisfied
And I just laughed and said, "Hey man, well go ahead and try"

'Cause I gave up smoking, women and drinking last night
It was the worst fifteen minutes of my life

Now I've heard it said that too much fun will kill you
And I'll be the first to tell you that I don't wanna die
Too many twelve ounce curls, pretty girls and parties ain't advised
Well, take it from me don't believe all that hype

'Cause I gave up smoking, women and drinking last night
And it was the worst fifteen minutes of my life
That's right

Well, you could get hit by a truck tomorrow
So you might as well raise a little hell tonight

'Cause I gave up smoking, women and drinking last night
And it was the worst fifteen minutes of my life
Man, it was the worst fifteen minutes of my life
That's right

We got the biggest dog you ever saw
Sprawled on the porch coolin' off down at our place
His name is Ace

We got the hummingbirds comin' in
Hittin' those sugar water feeders and buzzin' off again
Floatin' in the wind

Then the sunset melts into a line of clouds
Well, life is slow out here but it sure suits me fine

'Cause it's the simple things that strum my strings
The baby cries, a mama sings her back to sleep
Oh, it sounds so sweet

It's puttin' in a hard day's work
Comin' home and puttin' on a clean T-shirt

It's friends and family gathering
A neck to hug, a joke to tell and a dish to bring
Yeah, it's the simple things, yeah

I like takin' my boy to the river on Sundays
Huntin' tadpoles and the Indian .oney
And I just laugh while his flip flops splash

And we spray on the off 'cause we don't want chiggers
Baitin' our hooks with chicken livers
Goin' yellow cat fishin', a little whisker lip rippin'

I love it when he says, "Daddy give me five"
And watching him grunt and grin
While he's reelin' in that flathead on his line

Yeah, it's the simple things that strum my strings
The baby cries, a mama sings her back to sleep
Oh, it sounds so sweet

It's puttin' in a hard day's work
Coming home and puttin' on a clean T-shirt

It's friends and family gathering
A neck to hug, a joke to tell and a dish to bring
Yeah, it's the simple things, it's the simple things

It's feelin' thankful just lookin' at the stars
It's findin' peace of mind in your own backyard

Yeah, it's the simple things that strum my strings
Like big oak trees and tire swings and lemonade
Ice cold and homemade

It's puttin' in a hard day's work
Comin' home and puttin' on a clean T-shirt

It's friends and family gathering
A neck to hug, a joke to tell and a dish to bring
It's the simple things, it's the simple things
That's it

Drivin' down the street today
I saw a sign for lemonade
They were the cutest kids
I'd ever seen in this front yard

As they handed me my glass
Smiled and thinkin' to myself
Man what a picture perfect postcard this would make of America

It's a high school prom
It's a Springsteen song
It's a ride in a Chevrolet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
And kids sellin' lemonade
It's cities and farms
It's open arms
One nation under God
It's America

Later on when I got home
I flipped the TV on
I saw a little town that some big
Twister tore apart
And people came from miles around
Just to help their neighbors out
I was thinkin' to myself
I'm so glad that I live in America

It's a high school prom
It's a Springsteen song
It's a ride in a Chevrolet
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
And kids sellin' lemonade
It's cities and farms
It's open arms
One nation under God
It's America

Now we don't always get it all right
There's no place else I rather build my life

Cause it's a kid with a chance
It's a rock and roll band
It's a farmer cuttin' hay
It's a big flag flyin' in the summer wind
Over a fallen hero's grave.

It's a high school prom
It's a Springsteen song
It's a welcome home parade
It's a man on the moon
And fireflies in June
And kids sellin lemonade
It's cities and farms
It's open arms
One nation under God
It's America
Oh

It's America
Oh yeah
Woo!

I wanna live with no excuses
And love with no regrets
Take the bad with the good
And know I did my best
Walkin' in the sunshine
And dancin' in the rain
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine

From Rock-A-Bye Sweet Baby
'Till I hear the angels sing
From momma's tender kisses
'Till I board that glory train
I wanna love the life I'm livin'
And live the life I dream
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine

I can't mend this world with nothin'
And that's how I'll leave someday
And all that I'll take with me
Is the love I gave away
And it's love that makes a difference
From a pauper to a king
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine

From Rock-A-Bye Sweet Baby
'Till I hear the angels sing
From momma's tender kisses
'Till I board that glory train
I wanna love the life I'm livin'
And live the life I dream
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine

So roll on, roll on
Tell the story, turn the pages
Roll on, roll on
Children of all ages
From the first breath that we take
'Till our last one takes us home
Let love be the rock we're standin' on

From Rock-A-Bye Sweet Baby
'Till I hear the angels sing
From momma's tender kisses
'Till I board that glory train
I wanna love the life I'm livin'
And live the life I dream
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine
From the rockin' of the cradle
To the rollin' of that long black limousine

I wanna live with no excuses
And love with no regrets

I was late for work, had to pull to the side
While a funeral train of cars drove by with their lights on
It was just my luck, it went on and on for miles

I kept checkin' my watch, grittin' my teeth
Then suddenly it dawned on me that whoever this is
Is gonna be missed for a long, long time
It got me thinking

When it's my time to go, the end of my road I hope it looks like this
200 cars stretched out as far as the hearts I touched while I lived
And I hope I leave half as much love behind when it's my time

So I followed that last car down to the church
Took off my ball cap, tucked in my shirt
I just had to see what kind of life could cause such as traffic jam

Heard story after story, people laugh, people cry
It didn't take long to understand why every pew was full
There's a lot of good souls made better for knowing him
And now I'm one of them

When it's my time to go, the end of my road I hope it looks like this
200 cars stretched out as far as the hearts I touched while I lived
And I hope I leave half as much love behind when it's my time

Felt a hand on my back, turned around, someone asked
"Did you know him well?"
And I said, "Yeah, well enough to know"

When it's my time to go, the end of my road I hope it looks like this
200 cars stretched out as far as the hearts I touched while I lived
And I hope I leave half as much love behind when it's my time
Ooh, when it's my time

4 a.m. comes awful early, and I was dead on my feet
But if you gonna catch the biggest fish
You gotta lose a little sleep
Well, I pack my gear and a couple beers
I headed for my favorite spot
Well, I curse my luck when I saw his truck right where I pulled off
Was hoping to have the river to myself that day

'Cause the river don't talk, the river don't care
Where you've been, what you've done
Why it is your standin' there
It just rolls on by whisperin' to your soul
It's gonna be alright, the river just knows

The way the sun bounced off the water
I could hardly make him out
But I could see he had a fish on
A big ole rainbow trout
The fight went on forever
And as they headed down my way, I saw his
military hair cut and the new scars on his face
Right then I knew what brought him to this place

You know the river don't talk, the river don't care
Where you've been, what you've done
Don't know why it is your standin' there
It just rolls on by whisperin' to your soul
It's gonna be alright, the river just knows

He held that fish down in the water
And he coaxed it to back to life
He said "Help, you get your wind back
'Cause you help me get mine"
And all I could think to say was "Welcome home"
But I think that river said it best on its own

'Cause the river don't talk, you know the river don't care
Where you've been, what's you've done
Why it is your standin' there
It just rolls on by whisperin' to your soul
It's gonna be alright, the river just knows
It's gonna be alright, the river just knows
It just knows...