I was 10, I was thin, I was playin' first base   With a second hand glove and dirt on my face   In nowhere, Virginia   Who'd ever figure that kid in the yard would go very far      'Cause 419 Lakewood had no silver spoons   Just an old beat up upright that played outta tune   Now I'm singin' and livin' the life that I love   And when I count my blessings, I thank God I was      An American child   An American child   'Cause dreams can grow wild   Born inside an American child      7 pounds 3 ounces, she's got my nose   And she's into my heart, as deep as it goes   With a promise that's more than just someone's last name   Anyone's equal, in late August came      An American child   An American child   'Cause dreams can grow wild   Born inside an American child      My grandfather would've been 80 today   But in '45, he fell down beside      An American child   An American child, an American child   'Cause dreams can grow wild   Born inside an American child, an American child