Every Step of the Way

Well they called the flat plains Kansas a long, long time ago When they'd seen the gates of glory and the fire down below The many great decisions of the people in this place You could tell the strength within them, you could see it their face Well it's been 9 or 10 years since I started my ramblin' round And from hand to mouth I was livin' playing every bar in town Though a dollar a day didn't go too far I could never deny my pride I couldn't lay back and be taken care of while the world went by outside So I went to school to learn but I didn't like what they'd teach And I went to church to pray but I didn't like what they'd preach I was hard-headed, young and angry, and I felt I could take the heat And I had to find out my own way how to live out on the street So I packed my bags and I left here to peruse the streets alone And I saw that side of midnight where the beggars howl and groan Places filled with desperation where the future ain't so bright But I remember back in Kansas when we sang a song at night We sang every step of the way Though your dreams can be real don't let them slip slide away Doesn't matter at all, let them do as they will Someday you'll hear them call for you Goin' around and round from town to town I tried to make my way I believed that all my searching and struggling would payoff bug some day As a teenager I was rowdy and I played for good and bad Though I knew my songs had meaning at times it made me mad And I'd fight the wars of nations if it brought somebody peace Yes I'd fight the wars of madmen if I knew the fight would cease But this ol' world never stopped turning when my mind was full of doubt So I went on and played for a dollar a day and I sang this song straight out Hey hey, every step of the way Though your dreams can be real, don't let them slip slide away Doesn't matter at all, let them do as they will Someday you'll hear them call for you Oh yeah, for you When they call out your name say it loud and clear Come on, come on You must have seen me traveling' around you must have seen me there Tryin' to find out where I was heading you could have tossed to care Well, I had all the questions, I wanted the answers I knew in my heart it was all part of the game But every step was so much harder, every step of the way I knew that time would beat me someday Hey hey, every step of the way Though your dreams can be real, don't let them slip slide away Doesn't matter at all, let them do as they will Someday you'll hear them call for you Oh yeah, for you