Old Friends

In 1999 when I was first led into sin Cranked up and hit the road, to grind some gears again Breakneck and reckless I had a trail to blaze ahead No count and cost or who I might have left for dead Went looking for a river of gold when my hometown was catching on fire Left everyone I love in the smoke while I got lost becoming a liar Now I'm upstream, I'm getting tired And all those birthdays when I just forgot to call Heads were rolling I was a poster on the wall I'm not sure what it was hanging 'round my neck I'm certain it had plans to take what it could get Went searching for the Hollywood sound And my old friends were cursing my name I thought if I could burn out the sun Everyone would be with me in the shade Wrong as I was, I wouldn't change And all those birthdays when I just forgot to call I'm sitting on a mountain of guilt That I finally started chipping away Here hoping you could try to absolve All the years that I was playing the game I think I'm turning homeward again And I'm praying you will open the gates Will you let me in, let me stay?