American Aquarium
I Gave Up the Drinking (Before She Gave Up on Me)
[Verse 1]
Well I burned my fair share
Of bridges here and bridges there
And I gave into every hazard of the occupation
For years I called a highway home
But I never got good at sleepin' alone
And I earned every letter of my bad reputation

[Verse 2]
See it's a blurry line between wrong and right
'Cause what feels so good on a Saturday night
Hurts like hell come Sunday mornin'
I's standin' there when she walked in
And her eyes lit up with a sideways grin
Head got light and my chest caved without warnin'

[Chorus]
See I put down the bottle, and she puts up with me
I've spent hours in the mirror tryin' to figure out just what it is she sees
If it weren't for that woman, Lord, I don't know where I'd be
I gave up the drinkin' 'fore she gave up on me

[Verse 3]
Well I might as well have been an Irishman
'Cause me and old John Jameson
Spent many nights burnin' both ends of that candle
Back in my wild and younger days
Boy, lemme tell ya, I could put 'em away
But come closin' time, oh man, I's hard to handle

[Chorus]
See I put down the bottle, and she puts up with me
I've spent hours in the mirror tryin' to figure out just what it is she sees
If it weren't for that woman, Lord, I don't know where I'd be
I gave up the drinkin' 'fore she gave up on me

[Verse 4]
It was late one summer in old Cow Town
We were shuttin' down the Motor Lounge
Then and there it hit me 'bout as serious as a heart attack
So I ordered one last drink and I paid
And I bid farewell to my ramblin' days
And I walked out that front door and I didn't look back

[Chorus]
You see I put down the bottle, and she put up with me
I've spent hours in the mirror tryin' to figure out just what it is she sees
If it weren't for that woman, Lord, I don't know where I'd be
I gave up the drinkin' 'fore she gave up on me
Yes I gave up the drinkin' 'fore she gave up on me