Now I'm just a bartender And I don't like my work But I don't mind the money at all I see lots of sad faces And lots of bad cases Of folks with their backs to the wall
Chorus: But I need four walls around me to hold my life To keep me from going a-stray And a honky-tonk angel to hold me tight To keep me from slipping away
I can light up your smokes I can laugh at your jokes I can watch you fall down on your knees I can close down this bar I can gas up my car I can pack up and mail in my key
Chorus:
Now, the smoke fills the air In this honky-tonk bar And I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be But I burned all my bridges I sank all my ships And I'm stranded at the edge of the sea