I was raised in the ruins, mama, 'till I was thirteen
Every day I heard the radio
Every night I had the same old dream
To sing a song, oh, baby, to watch my name in lights
If you wanna see your dream come true
Honey child, you gotta get right down and fight
Well I sailed cross the ocean, girl, I felt so all alone
Many times I thought about goin' right back home
But the Joy I found in song gave me the will to carry on

[Chorus]
Live your life the way you want to
Don't let fools lead you astray
Live you dreams so you hold on to
All you need along the way

I was payin' my dues right here in the land of the free
All the time I learned to sing along
I could not speak and I could barely see
Still all the while I knew where I was at
But the people that believed in me
Lord, I could count them all in seconds flat
Well, someday I would be, I knew it all along
A gentleman of leisure, girl, right or wrong
And though my dream has come and gone
There's plenty more where those came from

[Chorus]

Copyright: BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Writer(s): JOHN KAY