When we were young and always looking up And passing out up in the parking lot Those were the nights, but now they've come and gone My dear, my dear It's 2 AM, before the afterglow And all those nights just seem so long ago Banging my hands upon the stereo Nowhere, nowhere My heart plays the songs of my lost years My scars are a church for my old fears My body's a wreck, but I don't care I swear So say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, when you're young in America I don't wanna let you down Luck will come around We can get a ticket out somehow That's all I am, that's all I ever was So say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, goddamn, goddamn When we were young and full of bad decisions And MTV was on your television And all we had was our planned ambition Ahead, ahead You're waiting tables up at Emerald heights I play the Steamboat every Friday night Two kids from nothing, guess we did alright My dear, my dear My heart plays the songs of my lost years My scars are a church for my old fears My body's a wreck, but I don't care I swear So say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, when you're young in America I don't wanna let you down Luck will come around We can get a ticket out somehow That's all I am, that's all I ever was So say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, goddamn, goddamn When I still hear you singing On the old tape deck tonight And I don't think I'll be sleeping 'Cause I just can't close my eyes But I'll close my eyes Say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, when you're young in America I don't wanna let you down Luck will come around We can get a ticket out somehow That's all I am, that's all I ever was So say a prayer, gotta lift me up Goddamn, goddamn, goddamn