Born a Wise Man

On the Acushnet River, when I grew up

Cut my teeth on the beach, the dirty needles in the mud

Got wasted in Fairhaven every 4th of July

At the fireworks, on the grass, in the wine

Well, I was born a wise man, but I've lost my memory

Keep your eye out for the real thing

(It's all just "money, money" these days)

You gotta hold tight to the real thing

You can search far and wide for the real thing and you'll find

When you got no one, you got someone in me

It was the band's first gig at the Exit Club

Our singer asked 'em to mosh, but nobody was

Monday at school, he quit the band at lunch

But you keep your eye out for the real thing

(It's all just "money, money" these days)

Stick up for your friends till you die

You gotta hold tight to the real thing, and with your life

I've been hurtful, talked my shit

I've been working on it

I used to just love nothing

Oh yeah, I hated everything

So lucky, I got the world in my pocket

Do I remember who I thought I was?

Practiced for weeks, we three, in our parents' basement

Those looks weren't deceiving

We were shaken to the core

What takes the fire from my eyes will leave me dead to rights

I was born a wise man

I've not forgotten everything

Still committed to forgiving every damned thing

Still making friends of an enemy

This ain't no resignation, but your mercy I applaud

Now, move along

Keep your eye out for the real thing

(It's all just "money, money" these days)

To live the dream we've been working since we were fifteen

It's a pretty sick job for no pay, and you're right

There is no one can get it done like us