Nursing their beers while I play the clown
And instead I strummed on guitars
In the records, I placed one by one on my shelf
Seeking the thrills that my youth never had
But here I am playing to people sat down
Getting all the chords right, getting all the words wrong
I could have been a champion, man of the year
Instead I wasted my time
I could have been a racing car driver speed mad
All I thought of was music that was filling my head
I could have been a scientist, doctor or man
Been just like the others could have left them behind
But instead I was writing my first song so bad
I could have been so much
Wave to the crowd as they scream and cheer
But I wasted my time on useless guitars
When I was a lad, I was sure, I had the world in my hands
All I saw in a day on canvas with my brush
And I strummed on guitars
I could have been a lawyer defending some guy
And instead I strummed on guitars
Instead I wasted my time
'Cos instead I strummed on guitars
And I strummed on guitars
But I was just painting my life in a song
I could have been so much
With a paycheck so big for my heart paid to lie
But instead I was busy enjoying my age
But I was too lazy, I could not see ahead
I was my own teacher, I had my own plan
With teen punk rock anthems and hearts paid to rage
I could have been a writer with a back catalog
On the cheapest guitar that the music store had
Full of stories of crimes, sex and beer, girls and drugs
But instead I was keeping the truth to myself
Instead I wasted my time
Strummed on guitars
On my ten year old hands meant for toy ships and cars
I could have been a painter painting life in a rush
I could have been an athlete could have trained all the time
But instead I built fret-callous fingertip scars
But I'm not and I'm glad and I'm glad
With a stethoscope diagnosing ladies' old hands
