On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown   He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line   Looked at the young man who was riding beside him   He said I'm old, kind of worn out inside      I worked my whole life in the steel mills near Gary   My father before me, I helped build this land   Now seventy-seven and with God as my witness   I earned every dollar that passed through my hands      My family and friends are the best things I've known   Through the eye of the needle I'll carry them home      Rain hit the old dog in the twilight's last gleaming   He said, "Son it sounds like rattling old bones"   This highway is long but I know some that are longer   By sun up tomorrow I guess I'll be home      The hills of Kentucky cross the Ohio river   The old man kept talking 'bout his life and his times   He fell asleep with his head against the window   He said an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind      This world offers riches and riches will grow wings   And I don't take stock in those uncertain things      Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories   Life sweeps away the dreams we have planned   You are young and you are the future   Suck it up and tough it out, be the best you can      The old man had a vision, it was hard for me to follow   I do things my way, pay an awfully high price   When I think back on the old man and the bus ride   Now that I'm older I can see he was right      Another hot one out on highway eleven   This is my life, it's what I've chosen to do   There's no free rides and no one said it'd be easy   The old man told me this my son I'm telling it to you      Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories   Life sweep away the dreams we have planned   You are young and you are the future   Suck it up and tough it out, be the best you can