Honky-Tonk Hero

From the Vault of NuggetsMageeRecords on Suno [Lyrics] [Verse 1] I’m sitting in the corner of a bar called The Brass Rail My fourth wife packed her suitcases and caught the morning mail She said she couldn’t stand a man who lives inside a glass So she took my last royalty check and head for Arkansas. The bartender just looks at me and shakes his heavy head While my manager is pacing like he wishes I was dead. [Verse 2] My doctor says the alcohol is burning out my liver And my so-called friends are vultures making everybody shiver They sit around my table just to get a free warm meal And brag about the time they helped me land my record deal. I’m looking at this bottle and I’m thinking 'bout the farm Where the cows and chickens never did a man an ounce of harm. [Chorus] But the poster on the wall says I’m a Honky-Tonk Hero! A legendary lover, though my bank account is zero! They pay to see me suffer in a custom rhinestone suit They think my pain is glamorous, they think my sorrow's cute! The allure and the grandeur of a hero who is drunk? I take another swig and laugh—what a load of bunk! [Verse 3] I’ve had three number ones this year, the nation knows my name But the bottom of this bottle looks exactly just the same My manager is sweating through his polyester shirt He says, "The Opry starts in twenty minutes, get up off the dirt!" The band is in the alleyway, they’re losing all their minds While I’m weighing up a bus ticket to leave this life behind. [Verse 4] The TV cameras are lined up, the red lights are aglow The whole country’s waiting for the star to start the show To see the man who sings about the heartbreak and the shame While the real thing is currently destroying his own name. Well, the farm can wait another day, the chickens can go sleep I’ve got a contract signed in blood that I am bound to keep. [Chorus] But the poster on the wall says I’m a Honky-Tonk Hero! A legendary lover, though my bank account is zero! They pay to see me suffer in a custom rhinestone suit They think my pain is glamorous, they think my sorrow's cute! The allure and the grandeur of a hero who is drunk? I take another swig and laugh—what a load of bunk! [Outro] So I finish off the bottle, and I run a hand through my hair I grab that heavy rhinestone jacket hanging on the chair The manager is breathing fast, the curtain’s going high I step out on the Opry stage and fake a happy sigh. Yeah, look at the hero. Smile for the cameras, boys. [End]