E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|-----0--3--0---------------|
A|-h3-----------3/2/0--------|
E|--------------------2--0---|



(Verse 1)                                                             D (Riff)
First you buy an ol’ second–hand amp with a knob that sticks?
D
You plug a cheap Fender in,
D                                                     A
then you crank it to ten and you learn a few Haggard licks
A
Then you play every day for oh, about nine or ten years?
 A                                                         D (Riff)
Writin’ songs for your girl and blowin’ all your money on gear

D
Then you talk to a drummer who’s a friend of a friend at church?
D                                                                        A
He’s got a buddy who’s been learnin’ the bass, so you get together after work
A
You play together six months ‘til the band is tight?
A
Book your first big gig on a Friday night?
 A                                            D
Step up to the mic and pray you remember the words

(Chorus 1)
                              G
Then you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong?
                         D
And you do a little drinkin’ to a drinkin’ song?
                               A
You make everybody dance, everybody smile, everybody feel good for a while
                D                    C        G      D (Riff)
And when you’re done...way to go, you finished step one

(Verse 2)
                                                         D
Next you borrow ten grand from your uncle and you make a CD
D
Good luck payin’ him back, ‘cause it’s a modern–day fact,
                       A
anybody can get it for free
A
You spend your time online makin’ virtual fans,
A
shoppin’ for a band van while you work for the man
 A                                                 D
‘Til you book enough gigs you can turn in your two weeks

(Chorus 2)
                              G
Then you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong?
                         D
And you do a little drinkin’ to a drinkin’ song?
                               A
You make everybody dance, everybody smile, everybody feel good for a while
               D                                          C      G    D (Riff)
And when you’re through....that’s pretty good, but that’s just step two?(Two step
it now)

(G  O)

(Bridge)
    G
Step three: glue your hands to a steerin’ wheel?
         D
Step four: eat fast food every meal?
          A                                             D7
Step five and six: fire the original band, and buy a new van
        G
Step seven: burn out and give it up?
         D
Step eight: come back ‘cause it’s what you love
      E                                  A     A7
Step nine: you finally get a shot at the big time

(Chorus 3)
                              G
So you sing about love, or maybe love gone wrong
                         D
And you put your whole heart and soul into every song
                               A
You make Letterman laugh and Leno smile, stack your awards up in a pile
             D                                 C     G    D (Riff)
And guess what’s next... Everybody calls you an overnight success

(Spoken)
Yeah, you’re an overnight success.
?Hey, and all it really took was twenty years of blood, sweat and tears
?You know what, on second thought, maybe you should just... I don’t know... 
try out for American Idol or something