Minutes To Memories (Rough Mix)

On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown

He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line

Looked at the young man who was riding beside him

He said, "I'm old, kind of worn out inside

I worked my whole life in the steel mills near Gary

And my father before me I helped build this land

Now I'm seventy-seven and with God as my witness

I earned every dollar that passed through my hands

"My family and friends are the best things I've known

Through the eye of the needle I'll carry them home

"Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories

Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned

You are young and you are the future

So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can"

The rain hit the old dog in the twilight's last gleaming

He said, "Son, it sounds like rattling old bones

This highway's long but I know some that are longer

By sunup tomorrow I guess I'll be home"

Through the hills of Kentucky 'cross the Ohio River

The old man kept talking about his life and his times

He fell asleep with his head against the window

He said an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind

This world offers riches and riches will grow wings

And I don't take stock in those uncertain things

Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories

Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned

You are young and you are the future

So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can

The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow

I do things my way and I pay a high price

When I think back on that old man and the bus ride

Now that I'm older I can see he was right

Another hot one out on Highway 11

This is my life, it's what I've chosen to do

There's no free rides, no one said it'd be easy

The old man told me this, my son, I'm telling it to you

Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories

Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned

You are young and you are the future

So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can