Up From The Basement

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FOUR LINES

I met a man today; he just changed my life.

He saw I was sad, he saw I was hurt

He knew there was trouble, he spoke just three words.

I said I can’t find the answers; I’m lost in my head

I’m just not too proud of this life that I’ve led

The man took a deep breath and stood from his chair

And as I listened, of this I swear

Everything changed right then and there.

take your smiles

take your laugh

the very best of all you have

and pass it on

share the wealth of your smile

share the beauty within

share the time honored classic tradition of friends

pass it on, give it up, don’t hold back, let it go

before it’s too late and

before it’s all gone

take all of your best 

and just pass it on

I met a girl today yes I changed her life

She laughed and she smiled but didn’t realize

Just why the whole world was not on her side

So I took a deep breath, I tried to reveal

That happy alone is half of what’s real

I told the young lady you’re missing the rest

In order to make it on life’s little quest

You have to release it and share all your best

chorus

So we met the world today and changed our own lives

I put my spirit in front of my pain

She took her dreams and boarded that train

I thank God for goodness and seeing the light

She’s on her way and she knows what’s right

I had a vision, a picture so sweet

I have to share what that man gave to me

‘Cause there’s nothing better than feeling so free

chorus

So don’t fight the hard times

There’s no fastest way

Take just these four lines

and give it away

Pass it on, give it up, don’t hold back, let it go

before it’s too late and

before it’s all gone

take all of your best and just pass it on

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Half Dead Man

I woke up. It must have been the middle of the season

This life had me changing had me begging for a reason

I didn’t want to move I had become a slave

To the half dead man with one foot in the grave

Chorus

Don’t look back say hello

To the life that I know

Take a pass on forever Make move and just go

Hold onto your hat

‘cause its gonna go fast

tomorrow’s not for nothing 

if today is your last

I picked up, packed up, and cherished the thought

Of moving past today and letting yesterday rot

So with the wind in my sails

A little help from the waves

The season moved to make me 

And for today I was saved

two weeks notice was the best I could give

I finally forgave and was ready to live

When I pulled up the anchor

And I shot for the sun

With on last tear I finally knew I was done

Chorus 

We made it to the shore

Me and my pride

We rode in with the strength of an incoming tide

You should have seen the look. 

You should have heard them cry

There goes the man who was willing to die

I almost lost my bearings

I nearly sold my soul

That ocean kept me guessing

She was out of control

Here’s to the future and thank God I did save

The half dead man with one foot in the grave

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Back To the Wall

He took off running

With the courage of a lion

Confident and cocky

There was no use trying

But she told him to stop

She told him to stay

Her words held no meaning

And he made them that way

He had used all his time

She had wept all her tears

He had stolen her pride

She had given him years

From what had started to grow

Just as soon took a fall

It’s hard to say no

With your back to the wall

Chorus

Some people give love

Some create hate

Don’t live with regret

Don’t make the mistake

If someone is pushing

Watch your direction

Cause you’re always alone

In an empty reflection

Before such a lion

The man was a lamb

She took him in

She held his hand

Karma’s for people who know it inside

Fear is for those with something to hide 

But all she got back

From her softness of heart

Were two swollen eyes

And a life torn apart

When did this monster

Come out of its cave?

How did this angel 

Become this man’s slave?

As quick as it blossomed 

It got out of control

As the summer months slowly crept into fall

I watched it unfold with my back to the wall

-chorus-

Please don’t pass judgment

Try not to take sides

I’m typically good and 

By the law I abide

But this all struck a chord 

Down deep in my vein

I had to do something

I’d seen too much pain

So I took a stand

A stand for what’s right

He didn’t go easy

He put up quite a fight

No longer an innocent bystander at all

I could not continue with my back to wall

-chorus-

So twelve perfect strangers 

Decided my fate

I prayed they’d go easy

I hoped they’d relate

The one thing I’ll say is I’d do it again

Help out a neighbor, help out a friend

I have no regrets, no remorse at all

I watched for too long with my back to the wall

-chorus-

…………………………………………………………………………………

The Heart of the E

When I look back or when I dwell on

The emotion and memory that exist in a song

I have to say one thing I hope it stays true

There’s only one place that helps get me through

It would start in the sunlight

It would end in the black

But the time in between’s what left the impact

Light up a fire, kick back, laugh, and smile

You’re in for a long ride it may take a while

I’ll never forget those nights on that hill

I always remember the joy and the thrill.

Three would stay steady 

While the other three blink

We were rock solid ready

To just try not to think

We would load up our wagons and take off and run

And we’d shoot through that forest blind, deaf, and dumb

Cause the stars would shine bright

And the smiles stay wide

Under the moonlight the tower’s our guide.

Take me back to where life was fun

Out with the owls and home with the sun

Up on that top spot, footloose and free

Or in from the rain down under a tree

Before there was pain or problems of pride

Before my emotions had reasons to hide

Where I knew it all without a class or a book

Where I stole her heart with an effortless look

Listen when I say it’s a simple straight fact

Quick to remember but hard to look back

There’s no where else that I’d rather be

Than up on that rock in the heart of the E

So take me there with a song and a smile

Don’t let me leave please make it worthwhile

I want to stay dreaming

I don’t want to wake

I can’t lose this feeling

Don’t let my heart break

Anything’s easy and nothing is hard

Our past is still perfect, our future’s not marred

There’s not a reason, a reason to doubt

I don’t want to go home, I need to stay out

Light up that fire, turn up the tunes

Release all your problems 

Leave them out with the moon

Take me back to where life was fun

Out with the owls and home with the sun

Listen when I say it’s a simple straight fact

Quick to remember but hard to look back

There’s no where else that I’d rather be

Than up on that rock in the heart of the E

Cause the more that we drink

The less that we think

And if drinking’s our answer

To not growing up

Then pour me a cold one

Or fill up this cup

From the top of the tower

To the edge of the sun

Came the booming sensation 

That life had begun

All became clear

And everyone knew it

I’ll have one more beer

And laugh my way through it

So here’s a toast:

Raise your glass up and show it

For the one’s that remember

For the boys who still know it

I wasn’t always there

But I had my fair share

And I keep a picture 

And a smile on my face

To help me remember

The one and only place

Where we end up

How near or how far

I’ll always know 

In the depths of my heart

That there is no where else

That I’d rather be

Than up on that rock

In the heart of the E

…………………………………………………………………..

The Ninth Day

We left town around seven fifteen

Who was I to think I could control my demons

I told myself it would be all right

It’s only seven days; it’s just six nights

I had to put on a face

Bring my problems and my pain

To a different kind of place

Where the air is so pure

And the skies so clear

I did my best to put a smile on

I would try to hide my fear

Watching the cars, I was counting

In a fog and a haze

On the way up to the mountains

To escape for seven days

It was nine guys

In five different rides

Three were close friends

And five or six others

Four of us had secrets

I think two of them were brothers

Maybe it was four

It doesn’t matter anymore

The point of the story

Is it opened up the door

It opened my eyes

I quickly realized

I was better off hurting

In the middle of the mountains

Than chasing that poison 

From that rusty water fountain

I saw through the deception

It changed my perception

I should have been committed

I’m the first one to admit it

But I rolled the dice

And stayed for six nights

With the devil on my shoulder

And the seventh in my sights

I battled through the sickness

The sweats and the shakes

If you can just forget this

Than you wouldn’t relate

But eight days later was my biggest mistake

I was put there for a reason

The Man had a plan

Surround me with strength 

And it’s out of my hands

But I didn’t see it happen

The demon had control

I tried to take a nap and

Dig me out of this hole

If only I had listened

To my one good thought

“You should take this opportunity

To finally get caught”

Come clean to your family, 

To your friends and yourself

This has crushed your ambition

This is taking your health

This is taking you down

To a place that’s not so sunny

Where the first one to miss you 

Is the one who takes your money

He left you off with a map of the moon

Just about as useful as a fork and a spoon

All you needed was a knife

To cut the ties of this life

You’re not gonna survive

There’s not much more you can take

Eight days later was my biggest mistake

Two hundred miles from the wrong and the right

The obvious answer’s sitting in plain sight

The wavy blue reflection

At the tips of your feet

With a little introspection

You’d have waved the white sheet

But too much of a coward

Not enough of a man

Kicked a rock in the water

It was out of my hands

At the tips of my fingers

On the edge of a lake

The pain still lingers cause

The eighth day was my biggest mistake

Instead of plenty of sunshine

The ninth day had rain

And then three more years

Of uncontrollable pain

I’m telling you now

This is all that it takes

Don’t let the eighth day be your biggest mistake

While given the chance before it’s all passed

Don’t make the eighth day be your absolute last.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

CABO

It was paradise, they told us

Just a slice of life with no fuss

So I took a chance, I took a break

It was my first glance Heaven’s gate

The sky and the ocean all became one

As clear and as crystal as the big yellow sun

I put down the pedal and picked up the reins

Forgot all my trouble and stepped off the plane

The warm air, it hit me

It hit me with force

I was a free flowing gypsy

With no direct course

I walked and I smiled

I wanted to run

I couldn’t resist 

Cause life had begun

I’ll tell you with pride

I’ll say it out loud 

Heaven's down here

Not up in the clouds

I’ve been there; I mean it

There’s one thing I know

I left my smile in Cabo, Mexico

I felt so welcome; I was so free

I never imagined

This is how it would be

Like a fish in the water

I belonged to the sea

I belonged to the beauty surrounding me

Untapped, unused

Not yet for sale

Never abused 

By the hammer and nail

Some things can stay pure

To find them, just focus

Or follow the sunshine

To the edge of the San Lucas

Where heaven and earth share the same land

Where I left the laughter alone in the sand

Chorus

Red flags and black flags 

And colors unseen

A Cabo rainbow has more in between

The sea tries to steal you

It must know what’s best

It tosses and tumbles away all your stress

They’d sell you their souls

For the right price, I’m sure

Cause they know they’ve found gold

Their future’s secure

This life is great

I know they’re aware

I can relate

I had my fair share

Ten days in heaven 

Will just not suffice

Its tough to put dollars 

On paradise

Chorus

I can’t survive

Back in the states

I don’t feel alive

I’m deadweight

My laughter has faded

My skin’s lost its glow

I’m dragging my feet

With my shadow in tow

When can I go back?

I just need to know

I left my smile in Cabo, Mexico

……………………………………………………………………………………..

MIDAS

This man was born 

With a crown on his head

The birth was so hard

Left the other one dead

With one heart beating

And silver spoon scars

An unscheduled meeting

With the furthest of stars 

He had gold dripping 

From his finger tips

A terrible curse

For a life with no script

Cause he was born with golden hands

The money you’re made of

Does not make the man

Midas can’t touch you

And money can’t love you

And hearts left unused

Grow empty and cold

The wealth that you’re born to

The life that you go through

All get abused

By your fingers of gold

Cause he was born with golden hands

The money you’re made of

Does not make the man

One day you wake up

It’s way past the deadline

And dollars can’t buy you

A second of passed time

So cry in your crown

It’s the price that you pay

And really, deep down,

It’s worthless anyway

Chorus

You spend your whole life

Turning coal into diamonds

All that you want

Is to not be alone

You spent all your money 

And realize, as time ends,

That time was the worst thing

You spent on your own

Cause he was born with golden hands

The money you’re made of

Does not make the man

(bridge)

One thing for sure

It can’t buy you a cure

You’ll start to realize this 

As you mature and 

Your gold plated body of

Work you call life

Goes under the same

Steady, steel knife

As the homeless man

Sleeping who used to pull rank

Or you and your lawyers

Who own half the bank

Cause dollars and cents

Can build you a fence

But it can’t keep away

The one guarantee

Two silver coins is your final fee

If there’s something you’re missing

Then lend me your ear

Just try to listen 

The point is so clear

Money can’t make you

Happy in love

You can’t take your wallet

To the journey above

Chorus

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3rd From the Top

On a clear day

They used to say

You can see forever

In every which way

All I saw were clouds

I never let ‘em in

It’s tough to be proud 

As a shell of a man

But mark my words

Is what I told you

You didn’t want to listen

So guess who showed you

The last time you saw me

I was out to dry

Hanging on your words

With my big dark lies

Waking up each morning

I was on my own

Never really caring to

which way the wind was blowin’

But keep it in mind

It had come the time

To move up the ladder

This reversal had to stop

I was way too sick 

Of being 3rd from the top

Keeping dreams on a line

Like a puppet with no slack

It’s hard to turn around 

With a monkey on your back

The movements were so steady

Precise and undeterred

The lesson on achievement

Was all faded and blurred

So figure it out

Find your own route

Take the path of least resistance

All the way past pure persistence

Turned down and tuned out

Just a failure at first glance

Look what happens now 

When you take the chance and dance

This is not rehearsal

You surely can’t swap

Take your pride for a ride

When you’re 3rd from the top

Follow the leader

But build your own wealth

And try to keep smiling

Said the shadow to itself

Can you call yourself a man

If you never do what’s right

Its time to change the plan

And welcome back the sunlight

Cause 3rd from the top

Is better than being-stuck on the bottom

I knew all the answers

Cause I made my own problems

Never forgiving

Always to blame

Untapped potential 

Was my only claim to fame

Can you call yourself a man

If you never do what’s right

Its time to change the plan

And step into the sunlight

Its paints the perfect picture

Of a man on a mission

If you ever stop dreaming

You only end up wishing

At the bottom of a bottle

I found my own fears

Tipped it over, let it drain

And everything was clear

I took two steps

And at the right height

I opened up my smile

And climbed into the sunlight

This newfound man 

Does not plan to leave

There’s nothing in my way

But the air that I breathe

I can call myself a man

I try to do what’ right

I’m sticking to a plan

And I’m living in the sunlight

…………………………………………………………………………………

Shattered Prince

It was the Friday after Labor Day

In the mirror of the ocean

Under skies of gray and salty spray

It set my heart in motion

With my head still ringing 

From three months before

I made my way to the calming shore

It was the Friday after Labor Day

I caught my first glimpse

Of a hundred foot pirate ship

They called the Shattered Prince

No time to think, no reason to doubt

I could not blink and I could not shout

Stuck like a stone in the sand beneath my feet

I clenched my hands tighter as I felt my heart beat

Like a high flying bird or the Man who’s free from sin

Her sails were outdated but they captured the wind

Nothing’s impressed me, not a thing since

I witnessed the marvel of the 

Hundred-foot pirate ship they called the Shattered Prince

From my direction

Not a single soul on board

It cast no reflection and it

Shook me to the core

Out on that horizon 

This ship she was alone

But I could see the ocean rising

And I hear the crashing foam

She was massive in size

Nearly doubled in height

An eerie fog followed her

Like a moon missing night

Slowly sinking deeper in my own footprints

The Friday after Labor Day

I saw the Shattered Prince

Once called a hoax, a fable, and a fraud

I’d heard the classic story

But I swear, I swear to God

No longer a legend, a myth, or a tale

Right there before me

I watched it set sail

Years have passed now

But still so inspiring

There was light on the bow

I heard the song of a siren

When the ship faded off

And the voice had gone soft

I was knee deep in water

And my footprints were lost

Two hours it had been

That I stared at that boat

The tide had come in

And brought with it hope

Someday, somehow

I’ll catch a glimpse 

Of the legendary schooner

That they call the Shattered Prince

Once more he said,

Once more to the breach

The shore I say,

The shore and the beach

The Friday after Labor Day

Amazing and intense

I never forget the peaceful way

She sailed the Shattered Prince

Time had no relevance

My world had stopped short

As I stared at the elegance

From starboard and to port

Nothing’s caught my eye

Not a thing since

I watched it sail by…

I saw the Shattered Prince

……………………………………………………………………..

September

He liked to keep with God with him

Through this life that he led

The devil kept his distance

He stayed a step ahead

And he kept with him hope

Of a happy final outcome

He seldom had to cope

With everything he ran from

Chorus

If you spend everyday living fear

Every single day year after year

You’ll only get as far 

As the edge of your heart

You’ll only stay as deep as the top of your soul

And at the edge and the top

You’ll realize you’re lost 

And you’ll want it all back

No matter the cost

He led a simple life

No poisons, passed off vices

He worked and slept and prayed

He offered yearly sacrifices

He even stayed away from women

Or any risky moves

Cause the life that he was given

He did not want to lose

He walked the streets of his town

With his head held down

Timid and shy

Not willing to try

Afraid to take a dare

Never the one to ask someone why

And scared to even care

He had a paper spine

An even weaker mind

He did what he was told.

Not exactly pushed around

Given the chance, he’s backing down

Contested and he’d fold

Chorus

I tell you the tale

It’s worth writing down

Don’t miss a detail

The sights and the sounds

On a rainy day

I don’t remember

To get you to stay

Let’s call it September

It was pouring and cold

And windy and bold

And dark as deep December

Not your typical course-

It rained with force

The river rose and swelled.

Trees were torn from-

The earth they were born from

Half a step from hell.

This fateful hero was out for a walk

Got stuck in the storm

Got tossed like a rock

Afraid and alone, he started to jog

As he picked up the pace

From out in the fog

Came a screech and a shout

You could not mistake it

The fast flowing river

Had stolen, had taken

An innocent soul who slept on her shore

Awoken by thunder and dreaming no more

A splashing cold nightmare

An uncontrolled prison

The shy, timid man

Had to make a decision

Continue to run

Like he’d done since day one

Or straighten his spine

And do what is right

It had come the time

To finally fight

chorus

So with no time to go

He heads into the wind

Once scared of his shadow

Now jumping right in

He wrestled with waves

And washed away’d land

Attempting to save

The once sleeping man

Courage he never knew existed inside

Strength we all have if only we try

He carried the man 

To the banks of the river

Laid down in the sand

And started to shiver

He knew he was breathing

He’d felt his heart beating

He wasn’t too late

Some things worth repeating…

Our newfound hero

Slowly closed his eyes

Opened again to bright and blue skies

All alone on the edge of a calm flowing brook

No earth moved around

No trees that were shook

No glorious rescue

No feats of good health

But a life that was brand new

Because the man saved himself

chorus

………………………………………………………………..

14 Quarters 

There’s a little boy on the side of the road

He’s got 14 quarters and a penny roll

A dollar and a nickel make it $5.05

He says I know where I can find me 

A couple of dimes

If I can just make it back

To the railroad track

I know that train don’t leave

Til I see the smoke stack

Up past the mountain

By the river bend

Usually round the time

That the workday ends

Chorus

Mama left me two days ago

I’ve been chasing her

Ever since they told me so

They said you’ll see her again

She’s in a better place

I said I can’t wait til then

I can’t forget her face

So he keeps on moving

Hoping and a wishing

Slows down at the bridge but

No time for fishing

Gotta make it to the tracks

And find the right car

He said, mama’s on one

And she can’t be too far

She left Monday evening

Round a quarter to seven

The doctor picked her up

He said, where’d she go?

They said a place called Heaven

I need a few more dimes

Or a nickel and a quarter

She can’t be too far

She won’t make it to the border

Chorus

Since mama left, I began the chase

The way I figure, at a train’s pace

The furthest she’s getting

At the pace she’s setting

If they went north,

Probably Fort Worth

But if they went south, like I plan

She might have the hit the mouth

Of the Rio Grande

I’ve never seen Heaven 

On a map or a book

But I got to keep going

I need to take a look

By the way papa was crying

She ain’t coming back

So I got to keep trying

I got to stay on track

Chorus

Gone forever to a 

Place that’s real nice

We’re gonna be together

In our own paradise

I’m gonna find her

I got enough money

It’s raining today

But tomorrow looks sunny

Cause when uncle Joe went to that town

He never came back

But it’s not keeping me down

I can’t live with that

So if you see my mom

On her way to Heaven

Tell her I’m coming

It’s her youngest son, Kevin

……………………………………………………………………………………

The Wine

When Jesus comes and life is through

There’s no one else to answer to

When Jesus comes and the sun is gone

And you’re so afraid of moving on

There’s no where else that you can go

You try to run but move too slow

The light is shining in your eyes

You lay there still as time goes by

As darkness creeps your chance has past

You tried to make the good parts last

But Jesus comes and drags you down

And lifts you up and shakes the ground

You’re so confused and frozen scared

The sun has set the sky is bare

When Jesus comes and life is through

You’ve done everything that you can do

I want to taste the wine

And feel the warm sunshine

Before I hit the gates and I’m on my knees

Trying to make sense

As I beg and plead

I want to taste the wine 

And realize 

That I let it all go

And I played my part

And there’s room left for a broken heart 

There’s a cold day in every man’s life

And there’s nothing you can do to make it go smooth

It’s a slow pain and it cuts like a knife

But your last chance is a moment of truth

A moment of clear and conscious thought

A time when you see the world for the trees

And the dirt for the roots and the forest for the green 

Why do we waste our time

Waiting to be forgiven

Hoping we cross that line

And float on through to Heaven

I would rather taste the wine

And realize that I’m living

Before I say goodbye

And lose what I’ve been given

I was told by a poet and a prodigal son

That the only way to know it

Is way after you’re done

The one and only famous poisonous snake

Said he makes some decisions 

By the size of your wake

If you made a difference

And you proved your worth

Then there’s no second-guessing 

The size of your birth

The significance lies in the last fallen years

And the number of truly tortured falling tears

The shadows seem empty and the sun is behind

The dark gray clouds that always remind -

Us of the beauty and strength – 

And the way that you lived and the unending – 

Selfless way that you give

The very best that you have 

And what you were born of

Natural characteristics of 

Someone the world loved 

…………………………………………………………….

Blue Green Eyes

She was a princess

Just a pretty little girl

She had every opportunity

She was given the world

But she kept her head about her

She never got lost

She did what she was supposed to

But she was still her own boss

A pink rose dress

It was her favorite color

You’d be hard-pressed 

To find someone didn’t love her

She met a nice boy

A local handsome devil

She had found joy

And was on another level

He was her whole world

But the first thing I suppose is…

This was the end of the girl

In the dress with pink roses

chorus

Someone can crush you

Break you’re heart in three places

Take your dreams and passion 

Only to replace it 

With a black hole

And the fear of commitment

Gotta let the dice roll

And give up that resentment

This is your time and

Your chance to break it

Gotta keep climbin’

And be the one to make it

They started off strong

They started off right

The days were too long

And short was the night

Always together 

Or never too far

True love lasts forever

Like a big burning star

If you add the wrong thing

To a perfect love potion

It will explode

And take your every emotion

It can take the crown off a king

The smile off a girl

The hand off a ring

The gleam off a pearl

But don’t let it take

The love behind doors

It doesn’t have to break

The one thing that’s yours

chorus

Your deep dark secrets 

Are the ones that break the mold

The ones that make it fall part

The ones that it make fold

Blue green eyes

Above a smile worth repeating

A brilliant disguise

And a heart that’s hardly beating

You starve yourself

You feed your face

Give up on your health

And try to replace

The feelings you had 

The love you once knew

When things get so sad

You forget to be you

chorus

I want to see you- looking down

At our own little twin

There on the ground

Crawling and climbing

Smiling and crying

A smaller rendition 

Of the angel I knew

A simple addition

Created by two

Welcome a new life

Through God you baptize

A beautiful baby

With blue and green eyes

So don’t give up on a future

Continue on through

I couldn’t imagine

A world without you

Crushed as a child

Cheated and lied to

If only I’d known

Everything I’d do

I’d never have asked you

And you would have survived

We wouldn’t have been through

What has kept me alive

You would be happy

I would be sad

But for unselfish reasons

For that I’d be glad

I’d be happy to see you living your life

Even if it meant you were never my wife

Chorus

…………………………………………………………….

Live It Up

When the rain stops

The music starts

You can shake off those feelings

You can open your hearts

Time to slowly escape 

From the fast pace

A chance to simply unwind

And have a good time

You were waiting all winter

And you got past spring

You watched the future unfold

And you started to sing

Chorus

Three months of Heaven

Is never enough

But you take what you’re given

And you – live it up

Put your feet in the sand

And you look up to the sky

Cause tomorrow’s plan

Looks like sunshine

I’m singing live it up

And have a good time

Yeah live it up

And have a good time

The dogs are barking

Fish are jumping

Get up early

Just to come home late

Clouds have lifted 

Winds have shifted

Gonna live it up

Gonna elevate

Save all your problems

For the cold weather

Smile, cause you can

Make it last forever

I’m singing…

Chorus

With a crack of the bat

And the crack of your smile

An old baseball hat

A new summer style

The season’s unmistakable

And the sun’s so hot

Your heart’s unbreakable

You take what you’ve got

There’s no telling

What three months are bringing

All I’m selling

Is you’ve got to keep singing

Chorus

A brand new blender

And a worn out dream

Take your friends and your family

A little love in between

Some ice cold drinks,

The sand and the sea

It’s an eight-part mixer

And it’s ready for me

Pour it all into a big old cup

Add a little bit of music

And live it up

Chorus