My grandmother owned a night club On the Arkansas-Oklahoma line Mama put me on a Greyhound And I went to stay with her in the summertime I'd box up those empty long-necks And stack 'em in the back and make a ham Then at night she'd let me sneak out Of the kitchen and sit in with the band Yes, I have sacked some quarterbacks And broke my share of bones along the way I knew it wouldn't last forever Semi-pro always means semi-payed I started climbing drilling rigs I'm oil field trash and proud as I can be, yeah Then I took my songs and guitar And sang 'em to a man from Tennessee I've played every beer joint tavern From New York City out to Pasadena Every corn dog fair and rodeo And sold out every basketball arena Like to get down with my boys In Afghanistan and Baghdad City too I am a red, white and blue blood Graduate of Honky Tonk you A star can't burn forever And the brightest ones will someday lose their shine But the glass won't ever be Half empty in my optimistic mind I'll still have a song to sing And a band to turn it up and play it loud As long as there's a bar room With a corner stage and a honky tonk crowd I've played every beer joint tavern From New York City out to Pasadena Every corn dog fair and rodeo And sold out every basketball arena I like to get down with my boys In Afghanistan and Baghdad City too Son, I'm a red, white and blue blood Graduate of Honky Tonk you