Hookin’ In The Heartland

[Verse 1]
Alarm at four
Coffee in a paper cup
Kiss the kids on sleepy cheeks
Try not to wake ‘em up
Radio glow
FM low in the cab
Chasin’ red and blue reflections
Down another icy slab
[Chorus]
I’m hookin’ in the heartland, chains in my hands
Under these Wisconsin sunsets, doin’ what I can
Long nights, late days, pullin’ folks from the rain
Lord, watch my mirrors, keep me in my lane
Yeah, I’m missin’ my family, but I’m answerin’ the call
I haul the broken pieces
So they all get home at all
[Verse 2]
Bent steel, glass
Headlights in a tangled mess
Young kid on the shoulder
Shakin’ just from all the stress
I say, “You’re alright
You’ll sleep in your own bed tonight”
Hook that wreck, bow my head
Whisper, “Thank You” to the sky
[Chorus]
I’m hookin’ in the heartland, chains in my hands
Under these Wisconsin sunsets, doin’ what I can
Long nights, late days, pullin’ folks from the rain
Lord, watch my mirrors, keep me in my lane
Yeah, I’m missin’ my family, but I’m answerin’ the call
I haul the broken pieces
So they all get home at all
[Bridge]
Some see just a flashing light
I see every name I might not write
On a page back home at the kitchen table
So I say my prayers, stay brave as I’m able (oh)
[Chorus]
I’m hookin’ in the heartland, chains in my hands
Under these Wisconsin sunsets, doin’ what I can
Long nights, late days, pullin’ folks from the rain
Lord, watch my mirrors, keep me in my lane
Yeah, I’m missin’ my family, but I’m answerin’ the call
I haul the broken pieces
So they all get home at all
So they all get home at all

country, Warm modern country ballad, midtempo swing. Fingerpicked acoustic and steady kick in the verses, steel guitar swells on the edges. Chorus opens with big ringing chords, layered male harmonies, and a simple singalong hook. Fiddle lines paint the Wisconsin sky in the bridge, then everything drops for a quiet final chorus before a full-band outro.