Southern Planner

According to his artist biography on CMT.com Toby Keith received his first guitar at the age of 8 and, after a brief stint in the United States Football League, turned to music full time at the age of 23. Due to this early start in the industry I doubt that Toby has much, if any, first-hand experience as a blue-collar worker. That just makes the fact that he wrote the Willie Nelson song Tired all the more impressive. Having grown up in a hardworking blue-collar household I can say that Toby does a fantastic job of capturing the accepting, constant and persistent nature that pervades this life. I only hope that I can capture audience truths this well in advertising I help create.

Song: Tired
Album: It Always Will Be
Artist: Willie Nelson
Writer: Toby Keith

My name is Jackson, I was named after my father
I followed in his footsteps down here to this factory
And I ain’t complainin’ wouldn’t waste my breath to bother
This work ain’t hard it’s only borin’ as can be

I married Rebecca back in seventy-seven
And I still love her and I guess she loves me too
We go to church on Sunday ‘cause we want to go to heaven
Me and my family ain’t that how you’re supposed to do?

But I’m tired, Lord, I’m tired
Life is wearin’ me smooth down to the bone
No rest for the weary you just move on
And I’m tired

Only missed six days and nights of twenty years of working
Money went to taxes and these bills I’ve paid on time
Raise I got six months ago don’t meet the cost of living
Selling my body for these nickels and these dimes

The smell of Becky’s coffee rolled me out of bed this morning
I showered and I shaved and dressed and pulled my work boots on
Waked in the kitchen, and she was starin’ out of the window
And the way she said good morning
Made me ask, “Is something wrong?”

She said, “I’m tired, I woke up tired”
Life is wearin’ me smooth down to the bone
No rest for the weary you just move on
And I guess we’ll just keep goin’ till we’re gone
And I’m tired, Lord, I’m tired
Said, I’m tired, Lord, I’m tired