Fishing and fighting

Started out barefoot on a riverbank

Hand‑me‑down rod and an old tin coffee cup.

Sunburned nose

Worms on my hands

daddy laughing

Saying “this kind of life turns you into a man”

blood on my knuckles from fighting the boys next door

Mama yelling “boys

you better quit that now or else you’re grounded all holidays.

if she only knew how much I loved throwing my hands around

It was fishin’ at dawn

Swimmin’ by noon

I had a busted lip brushed up eyes

all with a story to tell

I never hooked many fish but

I loved every minute that this life

Wouldn’t take back a scar

Not a single hit

From a wild little boy to the man I’ am

I’d do it all again

Every round

Every run

High school days were the best days of my life

Chasin’ that bell

Chasin’ that fight

Black eye

Split brow

Grin full of pride

Shaking hands after we’d gone toe‑to‑toe

Weekend mornings

Same old creek

golden perch and a cold drink

Arguin’ over who caught the best

Turnin’ every cast into a contest

Yeah

Fishin’ at dawn

Swimmin by noon

Blood on my lip

Scales ion bank

Every bruise and busted lip

Every hook and tightened fist

I loved every minute that this life ever did

Wouldn’t take back a scar

Not a single hit

From a wild little boy to the man I’ve become

I’d do it all again

Every round

Every run

Some men pray for a smoother road

I thank God for the rocks I rode (oh yeah)

’Cause every hard fight

Every hard‑won day

Put a little more steel in the words I say

So here’s to fishin’ at dawn

Swingin’ by noon

Mud on my boots

That same old tune

Every bruise and busted lip

Every hook and tightened fist

I loved every minute that this life ever did

Wouldn’t trade one second of this rough‑cut script

From a wild little boy to the man standin’ here

I’d do it all again

Year after year