Jack was born in June
We were unprepared
You were barely 21
I was barely there
He came two weeks early
You didn’t even call
I ran every stop sign
But they held me in the hall

We took a lotta wrong turns
But we did one thing right
Brought a child into this world
And he is my whole life
You don’t owe me nothin’
You don’t owe me Jack
I just wanna meet my boy
You still owe me that

Shotgun weddin’ in March
You said we’d never last
I didn’t try hard enough
And I hate that for Jack
We played house for a spell
But every door got slammed
Gave you the trailer and the truck
And I send what I can

We took a lotta wrong turns
But we did one thing right
Brought a child into this world
And he is my whole life
You don’t owe me nothin’
You don’t owe me Jack
I just wanna meet my boy
You still owe me that

And now he’s turning seven
There’s so much that I’ve missed
Seen him grow up in pictures
With some asshole named Chris
I know I made mistakes
But I ain’t who I was
How long do I have to wait
To be a daddy to my son? …My son?

We took a lotta wrong turns
But we did one thing right
Brought a child into this world
And he is my whole life
You don’t owe me nothin’
You don’t owe me Jack
I just wanna meet my boy
You still owe me that

You Don't Owe Me Jack

Ring 15, that year he grew like a weed
Hitchhikin’ to school to get a degree
His brothers said them books ain’t gonna pull no plow
They’d rough him up when he got home from town

But the toughest old cedar in San Augustine
Won’t come lumberin’ down till 93 rings
He’ll fall in the forest with a deafenin’ sound
That echoes through the hills for miles around

Ring 32, that year he built her a home
With calloused hands and a GI loan
They raised two sons inside those walls
Markin’ their height every year in the hall

But the toughest old cedar in San Augustine
Won’t come lumberin’ down till 93 rings
He’ll fall in the forest with a deafenin’ sound
That echoes through the hills for miles around

Singin’, “Timber! And Hallelujah!
Lord, I’m comin’ home to ya
I never thought I’d ever grow this tall
But I’m grateful for seein’ it all”

Ring 91, that year he started to sway
His sharp memory slippin’ away
Mixin’ up stories from ages ago
But he could still run a table, rollin’ them bones

The toughest old cedar in San Augustine
Came lumberin’ down with 93 rings
He fell in the forest with a deafenin’ sound
That echoed through the hills for miles around

Singin’, “Timber! And Hallelujah!
Lord, I’m comin’ home to ya
I never thought I’d ever grow this tall
But I’m grateful for seein' it all”

Timber, Timber, Hallelujah
No more splinters or shivers for Prue, yeah
Heaven’s dinner’s on the simmer, Lelia’s makin’ her roux
It’s gumbo night every night in the great beyond

The Toughest Old Cedar in San Augustine

I never drink where I know she’ll be
She’s not my kind of chaser
But here she comes a-stalkin’ me
Lookin’ like a real heartbreaker

Yeah, I used to be her beau
But we mixed like oil and water
And she cain’t seem to let it go
So I’ll have the one thing that’ll stop her

I need a tequila with soda and lime
Don’t gimme no whisky, vodka, or wine
Espolón or Patrón, either is perfectly fine
I just need a tequila to keep her lips away from mine

See, I still remember the time
She said she didn’t drink margaritas
I thought it was strange, I took it in stride
We shared a Malbec from Argentina
I said, “Ya mind if I ask why?
Was it a spring break with José C.?”
She said as she looked me dead in the eye
She had a fatal allergy

That's why I need a tequila with soda and lime
Don’t gimme no whisky, vodka, or wine
Espolón or Patrón, either is perfectly fine
I just need a tequila to keep her lips away from mine

Tonight she gives a big ole wink
As she saddles up right beside me
Takes one whiff of my drink
And her neck starts to get all hivey

She says, “I can’t believe you sometimes
Ya know one kiss could kill me”
I say, “It sounds like you need to decide
Will it be us, or you, that’s history?”

Yeah, I need a tequila with soda and lime
Don’t gimme no whisky, vodka, or wine
Espolón or Patrón, either is perfectly fine
I just need a tequila to keep her lips away from mine
Yeah, I need a tequila to keep her lips away from mine

I Need a Tequila

Reverend Rob’s got teardrop tattoos
Some mistakes you just cain’t undo
Book club helped him feel less homicidal
A few years back, he read the whole damn Bible
Now he cries when he baptizes brothers
Tuesday nights, he writes his victims’ mothers
First I’ve heard of an inmate preacher
Natural born killer turned born-again believer

At Possum Kingdom Penitentiary
Every sentence carries poetry
Justice served or just plain fate?
Whatever it is, it ain’t the state
I wonder what it’s got in store for me
Possum Kingdom Penitentiary

Handsome John wouldn’t hurt a fly
Charmed sugar mamas and robbed ‘em blind
Only caught one case for all his crimes
New pen pal patsy waitin’ on the outside
She pried a lot, but showed lotsa skin
She was FBI, reelin’ him in
Now he’ll stay decades later
Who got played? The pretty boy player

At Possum Kingdom Penitentiary
Every sentence carries poetry
Justice served or just plain fate?
Whatever it is, it ain’t the state
I wonder what it’s got in store for me
Possum Kingdom Penitentiary

Tyler Dean grew up livin’ hand to mouth
Ridin’ bulls was his ticket out
Sold some pot to pay entry fees
Got himself busted with pounds of weed
Prison rodeo gave him a second chance
Went all the way to national champs
Caught a stray horn after all that work
Dirt poor kid landed back in the dirt

At Possum Kingdom Penitentiary
Every sentence carries poetry
Justice served or just plain fate?
Whatever it is, it ain’t the state
I wonder what it’s got in store for me
Possum Kingdom Penitentiary

I wonder what it’s got in store for me
Possum Kingdom Penitentiary

Possum Kingdom Penitentiary

I was born in a shack by the Tupelo tracks
Daddy cut lumber, just a-swingin' that axe
Mama played hymns on the church piana
Taught me how to sing to "Oh Susanna"

At 19, I's giggin' roadside bars
One free beer and a mason tip jar
Sent tapes to the labels, they sent 'em right back
Said "Kid, keep tryin' till you find your knack"

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three
Waitin' for the big time to come find me
I was pickin' and a-playin' and a-prayin' for more
By four Mississippi, get my foot in that door

So I played every joint, Jackson to Clarksdale
Singin' for my supper and a-hoppin' them rails
Nashville suit came through Natchez
In a brand new Cadillac painted red

Said his handshake was a guarantee
But the fine print gave away my royalties
So I snapped his fountain pen in half
Mama didn't raise no fool like that

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three
Done waitin' for the big time to come find me
Pickin' and a-playin', not prayin' for more
By four Mississippi, I know what I'm for

Thirty years later, still strum and croon
No million bucks, just a thousand tunes
Friday nights at Steele's on Main
Chalkboard sign always says my name

Still sit on my porch at the end of each day
Me and these strings got plenty to say
Got no contract, but no regrets
A song ain't about how big it gets

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three
Never made it big, but the music made me
I'm a-pickin' and a-playin', got all I need
One Mississippi, she's enough for me

One Mississippi

I have lied and cheated
Stole when I didn't need it
I’ve drank and smoked
Been high off the coke

I’ve cussed and fought
And taken a cheap shot
Been cuffed and booked
Locked up just like a crook

You wanna talk mistakes?
Pretty sure I hold the record
As far as second chances
I’ve been blessed beyond measure
And if one day, I am welcomed by Saint Peter
Well, I'll be damned
I’m as close to perfect
As Paris, Texas is to France

I have squandered, gambled
Left my savings in shambles
Chased glory and praise
Stepped on others along the way

I’ve flaked and ditched
Burned more than one old bridge
I’ve cut and scarred
And broken sacred hearts

You wanna talk mistakes?
Pretty sure I hold the record
As far as second chances
I’ve been blessed beyond measure
And if one day, I am welcomed by Saint Peter
Well, I'll be damned
I’m as close to perfect
As Paris, Texas is to France

You’re the only one who’s countin’
Addin’ up your wrongs
And once you make ‘em known
They’re forgiven and foregone
So shout ‘em from the mountains
Sing ‘em in a song
Anyone who wants to judge
Ain’t got a leg to stand on

You wanna talk mistakes?
Pretty sure I hold the record
As far as second chances
I’ve been blessed beyond measure
And if one day, I am welcomed by Saint Peter
Well, I'll be damned
I’m as close to perfect
As Paris, Texas is to France

Close to Perfect

Spendin’ money I don’t have
Rippin’ shots I don’t need
Huggin’ people I don’t know
Tellin’ ‘em everything about me

Lightin’ cigs I won’t smoke
Makin’ plans I won’t keep
Pickin’ fights I cain’t win
Just to help me fall asleep

I cain’t say no to a good time
I need to say yes to walkin’ that line
Been goin’ too hard and livin’ too free
Bein’ the life of the party is gonna be the death of me

Takin’ drugs I don’t trust
Sendin’ texts I cain’t stell
Savin’ numbers I won’t call
And we both know it so well

Losin’ sleep I cain’t spare
Makin’ bets I ain’t gonna pay
Tellin’ friends, “Come on out”
And we all stay out too late

I cain’t say no to a good time
I need to say yes to walkin’ that line
Been goin’ too hard and livin’ too free
Bein’ the life of the party is gonna be the death of me

If I could just change my ways
I could live to 108
But it’s better to burn out
Than it is to fade away
Ain’t that right, boys?

I cain’t say no to a good time
I need to say yes to walkin’ that line
Been goin’ too hard and livin’ too free
Bein’ the life of the party is gonna be the death of me
Yeah, bein’ the life of the party is gonna be the death of me

Life of the Party

Gladys had this magic
Everything she did was a little bit cooler than average
Gladys had this magic
Anything ya needed, she would make it happen

Well, baby boy was cryin’
Roarin’ like a lion
Mama needed sleep and peace and quiet
So Gladys came in smilin’
She knew how to pacify him
Put his head on her heart and the screams went silent

See, Gladys had this magic
Everything she did was a little bit cooler than average
Gladys had this magic
Anything ya needed, she would make it happen

Sisters found a stray
In the ditch where they played
Brought the cat home, and their parents said okay
And earlier that day
Gladys closed her eyes and prayed
“God, them girls should have a pet, what do you say?”

Yeah, Gladys had this magic
Everything she did was a little bit cooler than average
Gladys had this magic
Anything ya needed, she would make it happen

She could turn a cigarette into a story
She could turn tears into a smile
She could turn one ice cream sandwich into two
She could make everything okay with the wink of an eye

And Gladys still comes by
In my dreams late at night
She’s got a Winston and a glass of Franzia wine
She brings me a cherry pie
Looks at me real sly
Then tells a dirty joke just like old times

Yeah, that was Gladys, she had this magic
Everything she did was a little bit cooler than average
Gladys had this magic
Anything ya needed, she would make it happen

Gladys, I thought she pooped ashes
She was a grandma, but she was also a badass

Gladys

Well, I got meetin’s back to back, and HR wants to chat
Slack attack of feedback, and my trackpad just collapsed
So I back out of the room without makin’ a sound
To my cherry berry sanctuary where The Man can’t get me down

Now I’m vapin’ in the handicap stall
Rippin’ away till my anxiety starts to fall
Huffin’ and a-puffin’ with no shame at all
I’m just vapin’ in the handicap stall

At the airport at the gate, it’s a big ole shit parade
Plane is late, flight’s delayed, and a big storm’s on the way
So I stroll right past the Starbucks, caffeine is not my vice
To the john beyond the Cinnabon with my TSA-approved device

Now I’m vapin’ in the handicap stall
Rippin’ away till my anxiety starts to fall
Huffin’ and a-puffin’ with no shame at all
I’m just vapin’ in the handicap stall

And I know I should quit and find some better, healthier habits
Like doin’ yoga or trickin’ out Kabotas or taxidermyin’ rabbits
But deep in these WCs, you see, it’s where I find my plumes of peace
With my dependable, ful- of-toxic-chemicals, 
Probably detrimental, sometimes menthol release

Then someone tries the latch, and I hear a tap, tap, tap
Peek through the crack, oh snap, low rider in a veteran cap
Blue ribbon around his neck, and half his face is burned
I say "Thanks for Vietnam, Lt. Dan, but you can wait your goddamn turn”

Because I’m vapin’ in the handicap stall
Rippin’ away till my anxiety starts to fall
Huffin’ and a-puffin’ with no shame at all
Yeah, I’m just vapin’ in the handicap stall

It’s my stress-reliever, zen-retriever, takin'-a-breather,
Bathroom-heater, discreeter-than-reefer cure-all
Vapin’ in the handicap stall

Vapin' in the Handicap Stall

Bubba’s heroes have always been storytellers. Mainly John Prine, Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Tom T. Hall, and Lori McKenna. Their words have a particular way of givin’ him goosebumps.

Naturally, Bubba’s a songwriter drawn to flawed characters, clever turns of phrase, and stories that aren’t exactly true or false. Born and raised in Texas, he writes lived-in scenes with a strong sense of place and a country way of talkin’. His homespun recordings leave the rough edges in and let the songs speak for themselves.

Bubba knows he’s a writer, not a singer. If someone with a prettier voice ever wanted to cut one of his tunes, he’d be much obliged. But he ain’t holdin’ out hope. Bubba’s just holdin’ a pen and a guitar, tryin’ to tell better stories.

Bubba Lane

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