I wrote this song about musicians

You know sometimes musicians got to play where they're not wanted

Oh I know you might find that hard to believe, but that's true

Let's say you're settin' up one Friday night and a fella at the bar says, "Hey, weren't you here last Friday night?"

You say, "Yeah, I was here last Friday night."

He say, "I didn't like you."

Under your breath you go "Well that makes us even."

But you keep on setting up

You feel a little tap on your shoulder

You turn around and there's this woman

She got on more makeup than five drag queens in West Hollywood and she says, "Are you loud?"

You say, "MacLeod."

"Are you loud?"

"Oh, no we ain't loud, just acoustic bass and a guitar."

"Is that a speaker?"

"Well that's an amplifier. We use that so we can hear ourselves while you all are enjoying your dinners, your libations, your conversations, and watching television."

"I think you're loud. I'm going to tell the manager you're loud."

Well, you had enough then. That's when you tell her

"Madam, compared to your make up - we're mute."

She says, "Well, I never!"

You say, "Well, maybe you should."

I had to write this song

Ain't It Rough?

Well I was working in this country bar

Picking nothing new on my guitar

And I was really thinking I ain't getting too far

When this fella having a couple beers said

"Son when you get done, come over here

I'm gonna' tell you how to be a star

Well, first you need a will of steel

A genuine country feel

By the way, do you know a song by George Jones?"

Well, I found my way to start to play

"He Stopped Loving Her Today"

But when I got to the bandstand that man was gone

Ain't it rough?

Ain't it tough?

When you're doing all you can but it ain't enough

I know it's rough

I know it's tough

When you're doing all you can

But it ain't enough

Well, I was working in this Holiday Inn

Playing bad music and watching sin

But I don't mind telling you the pay was alright

But I had to wear this tight pink suit

That the leader of the band he thought was cute

I got nervous sitting down every night

I was picking guitar and handling the lights

And I'm gonna' tell you I was doing alright

But I felt some trouble when this drunk kept coming on

I said, "Excuse man I got a cue."

He said, "Is that more important than me talking to you!"

I said, 'It's something I got to do, don't get me wrong."

Well, he got mad, started raising sand

Swung at me, hit the leader of the band

They gave me a slip, matched my suit, I'm gone

Ain't it rough?

Ain't it tough?

When you're doing all you can but it ain't enough

I know it's rough

I know it's tough

When you're doing all you can

But it ain't enough

Well my girlfriend called me lazy

She said, "Didn't you get a trade in the Navy?

Get a straight job things will better you'll see."

Well I figured she had a point

'Cause all I been working was joints

So good bye night life and hello straight life for me

I got me a suit and tie

Packed my resumes, ah resumes, with a whole bunch of lies

And headed downtown to start my new life

Well, I looked around and I got a job

And I'm gonna' tell you I was working hard

But that girl I've talking about? She became my wife

Now she wanted me to bring home the bacon

But the part of the pig I got was still aching

And when I came home one night that girl was gone

So I picked up my guitar

And I realized you don't got to be no star

That's why I'm here in this bar singing this song!

Ain't it rough?

Ain't it tough?

When you're doing all you can but it ain't enough

I know it's rough

I know it's tough

When you're doing all you can

But it ain't enough

When you're doing all you can

But it ain't enough

Yes, sir