Keeps Me Alive

Way back in Alabama where the dirt roads

Cut through the woods

And when it rains

You can smell the steam off the grass

Even dew on the hood

Of my paw paw's 1985 Chevrolet Silverado

I must have been about six

Life was so easy back in the sticks

16 year old mother fought for the life

She wanted for her son

Lookin' for love in the world of rock

And roll is where it begun

It was Alabama, Ted Nugent

Alice Cooper, Randy Travis

Aerosmith kept my stepdaddy on the road

And life, it was madness

Cocaine and alcohol

Filled up the house party to be frank

It wasn't too long before I tried it myself

And then started to drink

School became boring

And doing my homework became rollin' joints

Now I'm sixteen like my mama was

When she had a little boy

Can't imagine it now as I look back

'Cause I got three kids of my own

And I respect what she went through

To pay for food and clothes

And her home

'Cause it ain't what she did

It's what she didn't do for me

That brought me to this moment

And made me who I am on this recording

And this is my story (This is my story)

This is my glory

This is what keeps me alive

This is me flying

This is me trying

This is what keeps me alive

20 years old in the streets

And I'm rollin' with gangsters now

Hip-hop is takin' over me, my language

My clothes, my lifestyle

Antioch, Tennessee

Put me through the school of hard knocks

And I carry that attitude with me to this day

More or not

And I'm young and hot-headed

Always running from police and skateboardin'

Graffiti, loiterin'

I sorta got my peace from the chaos

Was no "mother-may-I's," surrounded by have-nots

And maybe some day I's well

I was against the grain

Even when I was growin' wheat

Got back into rock and roll

And then got into poetry

Started expressin' everything

I could through the medium of pen and pad

Playin' instrumentals off a tape

And then over-dubbin' what I had

It was everything, because I had nothin'

And man that was alright, 'cause now I had somethin'

Little did I know that would be the hardest thing to do

God ever put before me

So I took a look at what I've been through

And I made it my glory, and this is

This is my story

This is my glory

This is what keeps me alive

This is me flying

This is me trying

This is what keeps me alive

It's a 2 AM bus 'craw

From me at the parkin' lot of Wal-Mart

Leavin' Nashville, Tennessee for a nationwide tour

My bags are all packed

And I'm loadin' my truck to go meet the crew

And I'm excited to get on the road

Already one foot out the door

Turn around and it's my daughter, she's cryin'

'Cause daddy is leavin'

Knows that I'll be gone for months

And it hurts and I hate to see it

Kneel down and tell her

Look, baby, I promise I'll call you everyday

And daddy will sing you prayers

From everywhere that we go play

But that's not enough

And it's breakin' my heart in two

Just knowin' I can't stay

Not even to see it through

And that I can't tuck her in

To say goodbye with a grin

Now she's bein' left behind

This is me all over again, man

I picked her up in my arms and held her tight

And said, Hey you know what

Daddy used to be just like you

When I would walk up to the bus

And I'd do anything in the world for you

So chase your dreams

One day you'll use everything you've been through

To be anything, baby girl

This is my story (This is my story)

This is my glory

This is what keeps me alive

This is me flying

This is me trying

This is what keeps me alive