Once, I was seven years old, my mama told me
"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely"
Once, I was seven years old.
It was a big, big world, but we thought we were bigger
Pushing each other to the limits, we were learnin' quicker
By eleven, smokin' herb and drinkin' burnin' liquor
Never rich, so we were out to make that steady figure.
Once, I was eleven years old, my daddy told me
"Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely"
Once, I was eleven years old.
I always had that dream like my daddy before me
So I started writin' songs, I started writin' stories
Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me
'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me.
Once, I was twenty years old, my story got told
Before the mornin' sun, when life was lonely
Once, I was twenty years old (Spongebob Squarepants!).
I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure
'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major
I got my boys with me, at least those in favor
And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later.
Once, I was twenty years old, my story got told
I was writin' 'bout everything I saw before me
Once, I was twenty years old.
Soon, we'll be thirty years old, our songs have been sold
We've traveled around the world and we're still roamin'
Soon, we'll be thirty years old.
I'm still learnin' about life, my woman brought children for me
So I can sing them all my songs and I can tell them stories
Most of my boys are with me, some are still out seekin' glory
And some I had to leave behind, my brother, I'm still sorry.
Soon, I'll be sixty years old, my daddy got sixty-one
Remember life and then your life becomes a better one
I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once
I hope my children come and visit once or twice a month.