I was standing at the end of the very longest line between everywhere and nowhere I could not make up my mind stole enough to keep me honest, walked a crooked mile, I know I had more time than money, I had no place left to go closed my eyes and chose a destination like any good refugee I stuck a fork into a roadmap right through Nashville, Tennessee Swimming pools, country stars Hitchhiking on the shoulder of the road to nowhere fast I flagged down a ride, next thing I know we're haulin' a** I turned to the scarecrow, to the lion, to the tin man I said "Everyone in Nashville gonna wonder where we been man" 'cross the bridge into Memphis, I had my hat in my hand paid our respects to He King and drove on to the promised land Welcome to Nashville - land of opportunity Welcome to Nashville - your cab driver knows Alan Jackson Welcome to Nashville - the dreams are shoulder to shoulder Welcome to Nashville... We corssed against the light on Broadway, we just got into town nobody saw the blind man who was showing us around he'd just moved back to Nashville for teh forty-second time introduced himself as "Hey Buddy, can you spare a dime?" He was back without a vengeance, he arrived there with a thud he was living on the sidewalk, he was thinning out his blood I told the hotel clerk about my band and our show in town tonight he said "Let me guess - John, Paul, George and Ringo, am I right? Take a look around you, Buddy, don't you know where you are? You can't throw a rock without hitting some guy with a guitar. Since you brought it up I must confess I got my own band, too." He said his name was Wallace hartley, I said "Fancy meetin' you! Welcome to Nashville - everyone's a songwriter Welcome to Nashville - get yourself a crappy day job Welcome to Nashville - they're gonna tear you a new one Welcome to Nashville... If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around if a band plays in Nashville does it make a sound? We did our bet three minutes that nobody came to see but we sure put some time out of its misery singin' 'bout wallpaper cowboys and Hemmingway cats to a conflict of disinterest from their boots down to their hats I sang 'em six or seven hundred of my very best melodies they just said "Boy, ain't you got any other songs than these?" I go walkin' after midnight goin' where the lonely go I got heartaches by the number, hear that lonesome whistle blow I took the grand tour, lived the night life, saw the rose garden too found a good hearted woman but I can't stop lovin' you if it's only maek believe well who's to bless and who's to blame 'cause I walked the line and they never even called me by my name Welcome to Nashville - man these guys are serious Welcome to Nashville - I've got a friend who's got a friend Welcome to Nashville - would you like fries with that? Welcome to Nashville - now go on home