[Verse 1]
I got trouble in Amarillo, got exes down in San Antone
They say a cowboy loves his freedom, but he hates to sleep alone
Last night I called up Dallas, but she’s got ocean front dreams now
I guess the cowboy rides away when she figures him out

[Verse 2]
So I’m sittin’ here in Lubbock, just a fool hearted memory
Nursin’ whiskey with my regrets — yeah, they’re all good company
Bartender says I’m trouble, I just wink and tip my brim
Tell him, “Boy, I’m The Fireman — if there’s heat, I’m jumpin’ in”

[Chorus]
‘Cause all my ex’s live in Texas, but my heart’s still on the run
I keep carryin’ your love with me till I find another one
And when she checks yes or no, well, we’ll burn until we part
Then I’ll head back to Amarillo with this unwound cowboy heart

[Verse 3]
Met a girl in Corpus Christi, said she’d tame my ramblin’ ways
But I left her for the rodeo — that blue clear sky turned gray
Now baby’s gotten good at goodbye, she don’t shed no tears for me
Just another name in my rearview and a new song on repeat

[Chorus]
‘Cause all my ex’s live in Texas, but my heart’s still on the run
I keep carryin’ your love with me till I find another one
And when she checks yes or no, well, we’ll burn until we part
Then I’ll head back to Amarillo with this unwound cowboy heart

[Tag]
So if you see me down in Houston, pour a shot and say a prayer
‘Cause this ol’ Strait song’s still playin’ while I’m chasin’ love out there
Yeah, I cross my heart I’ll settle down — but not tonight, sweet darlin’
I’m still that Amarillo trouble — and The Fireman when there’s callin’




Back to Amarillo

[Verse 1]
You say you love the lost, but you don’t answer calls
I knocked, I bled, I told it all
You smiled like you meant it, then backed away slow
Like my story was a burden you didn’t wanna know

I ain’t askin’ for a spotlight or a stage
Just someone who don’t run when the truth ain’t safe
You sing about grace like it’s sweet and clean
But I’ve seen it show up where the dirt still clings

[Chorus]
You preach it ‘til it’s pretty
You post it ‘til it trends
But when a man walks outta Heaven
You don’t call, you just pretend
You talk about revival
But you’re scared to hear me feel
Don’t say you believe in fire
If you won’t preach it ‘til it’s real

[Verse 2]
You got a Bible verse taped to your desk
But won’t meet me eye to eye when I confess
You said you believed in a God who saves
But you ghosted me the moment I misbehaved

I came back burned but breathing air
With stories that don’t fit your Sunday prayers
But I ain’t here to fit your mold
I’m here ‘cause love refused to let me go

[Chorus]
You preach it ‘til it’s pretty
You post it ‘til it trends
But when a man walks outta Heaven
You don’t call, you just pretend
You shout about the miracles
Then ghost the ones who heal
Don’t say you believe in fire
If you won’t preach it ‘til it’s real

[Bridge]
One breath away from never again
You’d think that would change the hearts of men
But maybe truth’s too sharp for your peace
So I’ll carry it loud, while you whisper weak

[Final Chorus]
You preach it ‘til it’s polished
You quote it with a grin
But when the grave lost its grip on me
You ran like I’d sinned
You talk about the Spirit
But you don’t know how it feels
Don’t say you believe in Heaven
If you won’t preach it ‘til it’s real

[Outro]
So don’t preach it
Unless you mean it
Real.

You Preach It ‘Til It’s Pretty

[Verse 1]
I woke up somewhere between Whiskey Bent and broke
Heart like a George song, lungs full of smoke
Tried prayin’ like Dolly, but she don’t pick up
So I poured me a shot in a neon Dixie cup

[Verse 2]
There’s a picture of mama by the old jukebox
She used to say, “Boy, don’t end up like Haggard talks”
But I played The Dance, and I played it again
Then I whispered Jolene like she might walk in

[Chorus]
This life’s just a mixtape of stories and scars
With some Folsom Prison Blues and a couple dive bars
Got a Go Rest High ache and a Friends in Low smile
Tryin’ to fake Strait when I’m broke by a mile
I ain’t no legend, but I’ve lived like the rest
This ain’t my song — it’s built from the best

[Verse 3]
She said I Will Always Love You, then she slammed the door
Left me hummin’ Your Cheatin’ Heart on that kitchen floor
So I hit the highway with a Luke song loud
Feelin’ like Amarillo By Morning right now

[Chorus]
Yeah this life’s just a mixtape of steel-string pain
With a little He Stopped Lovin’ Her stuck in my brain
Got a little Coal Miner’s Daughter in my past
A little fast love, a long goodbye, nothin’ that lasts
I ain’t original, just worn and confessed
This ain’t my song — it’s built from the best

[Bridge]
Give me Merle for the mornings
Give me Cash when I’m cold
Give me Hank when I’m reckless
And Dolly for my soul

[Final Chorus]
Yeah I’m patched up in stories from someone else’s pen
But if you’ve ever been lonely, then you know where I’ve been
It’s the chords that heal, not the names on the vest
So I’ll sing like it’s mine — though it’s built from the best

[Tag]
So if they ask who wrote it, just smile and nod
Say it came from a jukebox, a prayer, and God

Built from the Best

[Verse 1]
We were together since way back when
Next thing I knew you were gone with him
Last time I saw you, we shared that name
You took off runnin’, my whole world changed

⸻

[Chorus]
Look at me now, got a six-pack grin
Freedom back and my good friends in
This old bar where you walked in
Lookin’ like a ghost of what could’ve been
Funny how your leaving felt like hell back then
I dodged that bullet, thank God, amen

⸻

[Verse 2]
You say you’re lonely, you want me back
But I’m just fine, I’m on my own track
No more slammin’ doors, no sleepless nights
Just a cold beer and my own life

⸻

[Chorus]
Look at me now, got a six-pack grin
Freedom back and my good friends in
This old bar where you walked in
Lookin’ like a ghost of what could’ve been
Funny how your leaving felt like hell back then
I dodged that bullet, thank God, amen

⸻

[Bridge]
Here’s to heartbreaks that set us free
To all the pain that’s good for me
I’d take that hurt all over again
I dodged that bullet, thank God, amen

⸻

[Chorus]
Look at me now, got a six-pack grin
Freedom back and my good friends in
This old bar where you walked in
Lookin’ like a ghost of what could’ve been
Funny how your leaving felt like hell back then
I dodged that bullet, thank God, amen

⸻

[Outro]
Yeah, I dodged that bullet, thank God, amen

Six-Pack Grin

[Verse 1]
Hey, I hope you’re doin’ fine out there,
Wherever you lay your head
I bet you think I’m movin’ on
By the pictures that I’ve fed
Yeah, I laugh when folks are lookin’
But when the moon climbs that sky
I’m sittin’ here askin’ shadows —
If I’m so happy, why do I cry?

[Verse 2]
I still keep that Christmas letter,
I still hear your old dog bark
I still count up all those mornings
Where we tangled in the dark
They all say I’m better off now,
But that don’t make it right
You call this happy, honey?
Then why do I cry at night?

[Chorus]
If you’re wonderin’ how I’m holdin’ up,
Well, I ain’t gonna lie
I pour my truth out in a bottle
When that truth cuts me dry
If you gave me back that moment,
I’d trade it all tonight
You call this happy, darlin’?
Then why do I cry?

[Bridge]
If you ever wonder, baby,
If I ever cross your mind
Just know your ghost still haunts me
When I’m alone at night

[Chorus]
So if you hear I’m doin’ better,
Well, that’s half a truth at best
I might look like I’m free now
But this freedom’s just a mess
If I’m so damn lucky, honey,
Then why’s it feel like goodbye?
You call this happy, darlin’?
Then why do I cry?

If I'm so happy...

[Verse 1]
Was it the night I held you by the lake,
Wrapped in my jacket, tryin’ not to shake?
You said nothin’, just stared at the stars,
But your hand felt heavy in the dark.

Was it the time you cried and I drove all night,
Just to sit on your porch ‘til the morning light?
You smiled, but your eyes looked far away—
Was that the start of slippin’ away?

[Chorus]
At what point did your love break?
Was it slow like ice, or a clean heartache?
Did it fade in silence or snap in a fight,
Was it lost in the day or buried in the night?
I keep searchin’ every memory we made…
At what point… did your love break?

[Verse 2]
Was it that sick night you couldn’t shake,
When I brought you soup and stayed too late?
You thanked me soft, but your lips felt cold—
Did you know right then we were growin’ old?

Was it that road trip back in July,
When we drove ten hours and barely said hi?
Radio on, but the air was thin—
Were you leavin’ me right there and then?

[Chorus]
At what point did your love break?
Was it a small goodbye you never got to say?
Did I miss the signs, too blind to see,
That the end had already started with me?
Now I lie here askin’ every day…
At what point… did your love break?

[Bridge]
Maybe love don’t shatter, it just wears thin
One crack at a time ‘til it caves in

[Final Chorus]
At what point did your love break?
Was it all too much, or just too late?
Did I hold on tighter than you could stand?
Was I fightin’ alone with an empty hand?
Now I’m left with nothin’ but the ache…
Wonderin’ when… your love broke away


At What Point

Title: I Do (Just Pisses Me Off)

[Verse 1]
They say “have a little faith, boy, let it go”
But they ain’t been burned by the things I know
Yeah, I talk like I’m bitter, cuss at the sky
But deep in my bones, Lord, I still try

[Pre-Chorus]
Don’t mean I don’t pray when the night runs long
Don’t mean I don’t hope when it all goes wrong

[Chorus]
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do
It just pisses me off when the good fall through
Got scars on my soul that the church can’t see
Yeah, my words sound hard, but there’s faith in me
Don’t let my whiskey tongue fool you at all
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do, that’s all

[Verse 2]
Mama lights candles and keeps ‘em lit
I light a cigarette, cuss and spit
She says “boy, you’re lost,” but the truth she missed
I’m just mad at the mess, not the One who exists

[Pre-Chorus]
Don’t mean I don’t kneel when the night runs long
Don’t mean I don’t feel when it all goes wrong

[Chorus]
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do
It just pisses me off when the good fall through
Got scars on my soul that the church can’t see
Yeah, my words sound hard, but there’s faith in me
Don’t let my whiskey tongue fool you at all
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do, that’s all


[Bridge]
Yeah, I still talk to God behind closed doors
He knows my heart’s just bruised and sore

[Chorus/Outro]
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do
Hell, it pisses me off when the good fall through
Got scars on my soul that the church can’t see
But my knees still bend, and there’s faith in me
Don’t let my whiskey tongue fool you at all
Sounds like I don’t believe — but I do, that’s all



I Do, That's all

[Verse 1]
You pulled up that night in your old beat-up Ford
I was half scared to death when you knocked on my door
Two kids with no map, no clue where to go
But we jumped in the deep, learned to swim as we grow

⸻

[Pre-Chorus]
Now it’s coffee at sunrise, bills on the fridge
A fight ‘bout the laundry, a kiss on the lips
It ain’t all fireworks, but damn it’s enough
This ain’t just a story — this right here is us

⸻

[Chorus]
Beginnings are scary, endings feel wrong
But it’s the middle that keeps us holdin’ on
It’s the Tuesday nights, the long driveway lights
It’s the way you say “baby, we’re gonna be alright”
Yeah, the start and the end, they can tear you apart
But it’s the middle that makes a home outta hearts

⸻

[Verse 2]
We got dreams in the closet and dirt on our boots
Little fights in the kitchen, big talks ‘bout truth
One day we’ll look back, rockin’ old porch swings
Say the best damn years were the in-between

⸻

[Pre-Chorus]
All those “I’m sorry’s” and all those plans
Sunday morning church, your tired workin’ hands
When they write our story, I hope they know
The best part’s the piece right here in the middle we hold

⸻

[Chorus]
Beginnings are scary, endings feel wrong
But it’s the middle that keeps us holdin’ on
It’s the late-night drives and the tear-stained fights
It’s the way you roll your eyes but stay every time
Yeah, the start and the end, they can tear you apart
But it’s the middle that makes a house feel like heart

⸻

[Bridge]
One day the road runs out like a song
But baby don’t worry, you and me — we’re strong
When it’s all said and done, when they lay us down
It’s the middle they’ll talk ‘bout when we ain’t around

⸻

[Final Chorus]
Beginnings are shaky, endings turn sad
But the middle’s the best damn thing we ever had
It’s the morning light, it’s your hand in mine
It’s the years flyin’ by, but we’re still side by side
Yeah, the start and the end might tear you apart
But it’s the middle that matters — that’s where we are

⸻

[Tag / Outro]
Yeah, it’s the middle that matters — that’s where we are

The Middle

[Verse 1]
You’ve been ridin’ my back like a broke-down mule
Talkin’ that talk like you’re layin’ down rules
Every damn night, same worn-out line
Well I’m done bein’ patient, I’m drawin’ that line

[Pre-Chorus]
You ain’t my mama, ain’t my boss, ain’t my judge
You’re just a loud mouth pushin’ your luck

[Chorus]
So take your ass and get off mine
Find somebody else to waste their time
I got a cold beer waitin’, a jukebox playin’
A free man’s heart that ain’t for takin’

If you think I’ll beg, well honey, you’re blind
Take your ass and get off mine

[Verse 2]
You tell all your friends how you tried so hard
But you ain’t foolin’ no one with your poison heart
I’ll tip my hat as you hit that door
And don’t you come knockin’ ‘round here no more

[Pre-Chorus]
Yeah I’m done with your drama, your petty old games
I’m keepin’ my pride and you keep your name

[Chorus]
So take your ass and get off mine
Find somebody else to waste their time
I got a cold beer waitin’, a jukebox playin’
A free man’s heart that ain’t for takin’
If you think I’ll beg, well honey, you’re blind
Take your ass and get off mine


[Bridge]
This old bar stool’s got more love to give
Than all your sweet talk and your two-faced tricks
So don’t let that screen door hit you twice
On your way out of my good life

[Chorus]
Take your ass and get off mine
Find somebody else to waste their time
I got a cold beer waitin’, a jukebox playin’
A free man’s heart that ain’t for takin’
If you think I’ll beg, well honey, you’re blind
Take your ass and get off mine

[Outro]
Yeah, you heard me right the first damn time
Take your ass and get off mine

Take Your Ass and Get Off Mine

[Verse 1]
You rolled up late in a beat-up Dodge
Dust on your boots, trouble in your drawl
Said your name low like a midnight dare
And I knew better — but I didn’t care
Leaned on the porch like you owned that night
And I heard my momma’s voice in my mind…

[Pre-Chorus]
She said, “Girl, wild hearts come dressed in charm…
Don’t let a slow grin do you harm.”

[Chorus]
Are you the one Momma warned me about?
Leather-wrapped lies, and a kiss full of doubt
Are you the reason the porch light flickered
And my knees gave out when the air got thicker?
You played me smooth like a radio song
Now I’m wonderin’ if I played along
Still got that heat, still got that sound —
Are you the one Momma warned me about?

[Verse 2]
You said, “Come on, girl, let’s chase the moon,”
I followed you like a spark too soon
Backseat promises, fire in July
But fire like that always waves goodbye
Now it’s me, this town, and a restless sky
And your name still hums when I close my eyes

[Pre-Chorus]
She said, “If he feels too right too fast to be true…
Then he’s got nothin’ left to prove.”

[Chorus]
Are you the one Momma warned me about?
Whiskey words with a twist of doubt
Are you the reason the porch light flickered
And the girl I was grew up quicker?
You left like smoke, no goodbye sound
Still got me askin’, still callin’ out —
Are you the one Momma warned me about?

[Bridge]
Maybe I wanted to feel that fall
Maybe she warned me, but I wanted it all
And maybe the worst ones leave the best lines…
Yeah, maybe that's just my kind

[Final Chorus]
Are you the one Momma warned me about?
Still haunts this town like a ghost in the clouds
Are you the reason the porch light flickered
When I first knew love could leave you bitter?
You’re long gone, but I still shout —
Are you the one… Momma warned me about?

Mamma Warned Me (female vocals)

I’m JD Hodge — Oklahoma-born, red dirt-raised, and songwriting for over 30 years.

In 2024, I flatlined on an operating table. Cardiac arrest. Everything changed.

When I came back, the words came with me — like they’d been waiting their turn. Since then, the songs haven’t stopped. I write what’s real: struggle, hope, grit, and grace — stories meant to be felt.

You’ll hear pieces of my past, my people, and the kind of heartland truth you can’t fake. These songs aren’t just mine — they’re for anyone who’s fought through silence and still found a voice.

Retired • Lyricist • Country • Americana • Acoustic Soul
Oklahoma, USA
Collabs & contact: jim@reddirtclassics.com

The Middle

J.D. Hodge Music-Songwriter

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