Pinball

INTRO: verse 1 Well, I had the contract with me I was opening for a star I'd seen him on the concert stage I'd watched him from afar I hadn't heard much lately Of anything he'd done But he sang songs of rights and wrongs Of those who'd lost or won verse 2 So it was in a run down nightclub In a broken part of town I was on the long way up He was on the long way down I saw him in a corner Playing pinball, killing time I asked him how he was And with a smile he answered "Fine" With a smile he answered "Fine" Then he said "Sonny, it's the same old pinball I played ten years ago Now it's just like me, friend The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Now I'm way down low Still playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago" verse 3 Well, never meet your heroes I've read that line somewhere They're just like you and me With all our hope and our despair I said “It's never that bad There's always one more day There's always one more song to sing And one more tune to play" verse 4 Well, he just looked me up and down And then he slowly shook his head He said "To stay alive, try 9 to 5 To earn your daily bread" I said "You were my idol You handed me this dream" He turned away and pointed To the battered old machine That battered old machine And he said "Sonny, it's the same old pinball I played ten years ago Now it's just like me, friend The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Now I'm way down low Still playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago" VERSE 5 He said "I made a lot of money And I drank a lot of wine I paid for all my pleasures And I had a real good time I never stayed in one place Longer than a day I gave them pearls and told the girls I really couldn't stay" VERSE 6 "But where, where'd it go to sonny? It came and went so fast It's far too easy nowadays To live back in the past But I'm still good for doing What I've always done There hasn't been a house yet I haven't fought and won I haven't fought and won." Then he said "Sonny, it's the same old pinball I played ten years ago Now it's just like me, friend The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Now I'm way down low Still playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago" VERSE 7 "So now they're out there waiting And they don't know who you are They don't care for your future They'll just prop up the bar And you, you'll sing your heart out And maybe some will hear And maybe you'll come back And play this place again next year" VERSE 8 "So, go on and do your set now, sonny Before they get too drunk And please, don't count them, sonny These glasses that I've sunk I'll do my show, remember I've never lost them yet But sonny, sometimes lately It's been an even bet It's been an even bet." Then he said "Sonny, it's the same old pinball I played ten years ago Now it's just like me, friend The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Now I'm way down low Still playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago" VERSE 9 He's long gone and forgotten His name you never knew But what reminded me Was when I turned and looked at you Standing there so happy With your new guitar and dreams One question for you, sonny Can you play these machines Can you play these machines 'Cause sonny it's the same old pinball He played ten years ago And now it's just like me friend The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend And now I'm way down low Still playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago" Yes, I'm playing the same old pinball clubs I played ten years ago"