Mmh, once I was a gambling man
But now my gambling days are done
Mmh, once I was some love sick cowboy
I might say, I’ve holstered my gun
And the world is a whole lot safer since
I walked the line
In me you see penitent man
Whoa, you won’t catch me in no cathouse
Dancing in the buff with a bottle of moonshine
Least way’s, that’s the plan
Because I’m older n’ wiser
I ain’t the fool I used to be
And now the way things are shaping
They’re gonna make a saying out of me
And no more tearing up the highway
Stoned out of my head
So near I am to a righteous man
So straight and narrow and spic and span
I think the next best thing is dead
Oh the next best thing is dead
Once I was thrown in a county jail
I gave it up to the Lord above (uh-huh)
When some big bad dude, 6 foot 8
Got hellbent on brotherly love
So I hopped the Mustang Shelby
In a backseat full of bones
Sweet Jesus I have been redeemed
So you might catch me in some juke joint
Raising Cain to the crack of dawn
But only in my dreams
Because I’m older n’ wiser
I ain’t the fool I used to be
And now the way things are shaping
They’re gonna make a saying out of me
And no more tearing up the highway
Stoned out of my head
So near I am to a righteous man
Just a hoop and a holler from the Promised Land
I said the next best thing is dead
Oh the next best thing is dead