Well i met her in college
Hanging out at sigma chi
Singing stoned and drunken versions
Of american pie

We picked up and married
Soon as she got out of school
I'd soon hit the big time
Seemed like the thing to do

I must have overlooked something
Because i'm over my head
But the best damn things in life are free
And as long as i got your company
That's what she said

I'm not one for worrying
About dreams left unfulfilled
But it's a long way to the garden
From the canton bar and grill

And the wife's got a lifestyle
That she's looking to maintain
That these musicians wages
Can't hope to sustain

I'm running out of options
I'm running out of time
Just tell me how to make it pay
If it takes me 27 hours a day
I won't mind

It's a matter of opinion
Between right and wrong
In you circles of distinction
I can't last that long

I know i'm not worth much
To you financially
But the best damn things in life are free

Some read the wall street journal
Some play the lottery
Some invest in foreign lands
That they have never seen

Others roll the dice or spin the wheel
Or play their hand
Me, i learned to play guitar
And joined a long-haïred band