Ballad of the Man That Never Made It {Lyrics}

This title like "House of the Rising Son" was inspired by the music of the 60's.  Bob Dylan has done a number of songs titled similar to this "Ballad of a Thin Man" "Ballad of Hollis Brown" and others..

This song  pretty much explains itself.  It is a story of a failed artist that settles for mediocrity and tries to fit in  with regular life.  The ending was inspired by Hunter S. Thompson's suicide where he typed only one word on his typewriter before pulling the trigger.

Believe it or not the first voice you hear is the voice of Joey Gladstone of Full House.  I was half asleep one day and heard that part and went on a mission to find it for this song.

Ballad of the Man That Never Made It

"you see last night was a revelation..

that big break is not coming..

I am going to venture into the business world

I'm going to get a real job and make some real money

I'm starting a whole new way of life..

There comes a point in your life where you just have to say to yourself

" I tried and I failed"

I'm just glad I found this out now and not when I'm 46 years old"

Woke up..his alarm ringing

and he was hoping it wasn't raining 

'cause he can't remember last night

get to smoking with a cigarette and glass pipe

and maybe in a past life he was something special

just an empty vessel carrying a heavy load

its such a crooked road

its such a different path

they lookin' at him and get to thinking that he will never last

point at him and laugh

another puppet for the cash

if you're doing somethin' different you're finishing dead last

this is why the talented balance and than crash

'cause everyone will dig in his pocket..like..real fast

and it'll catch up with ya

as soon as she's in love with u

he settles for the replica

but still she'll be second to what really matters

mad hatter with this chitter chatter

i'd chose the latter

but fuck it..it doesn't matter

..and this is over breakfast..

i guess that it's gotten worse

because he's stressing impression and only got a couple shirts

..he checks his phone..

ignoring who keeps texting him

a bunch of missed calls and alot of mean messages

alot of questions of where he's been and what he's been doing

alot of friendships he's ended..and now they're fucking ruined

he had a dream he was chasing but now he's not pursuing

had it figured out

but now he don't know what the fuck he's doing

this is the story of the man that never made it

that did something amazing but they hid it in the basement

this is the story of the man that never made it

who's still sittin' and waiting 'cause he doesn't want to face it

On his way to 9-5

this is such a shitty drive

his co-workers don't even notice that he's alive

they don't know he was rockin' stages

he's pushin papers

they talkin' families..his conversations vacant

and he can't take it..

it's like theres nothing in common

he's all alone in the morning

and god damnit its boring

..and than he drives home..

and gets lost in the music

remembers when he used to do it

was too timid and blew it..

..and its still raining...

he run inside to grab a beer

even his dog barkin' like he doesn't even live here

..another Guiness..

the microwavable dinners are finished

he puffs a blunt for a minute

and than goes downstairs

..talking to his girl..

fightin' for five years

..she hang up on him..

but in a minute she'll call back

..he'll get to screamin'..

but in a minute he'll fall back

he hits the bar with the same faces...alittle older

the same town that he's been in since he was in a stroller

..sip till he's falling over..

..mumbles to a stranger..

something about startin' over and getting signed to a major

its just a dream now

its just a conversation

all the years that he worked at it..he fucking wasted

..back home now..

and he's fuckin' wasted

his money lower than his self esteem

such a selfish dream

front page of the magazine

..he pushed it all aside..

he feel it..deep inside

opened up his rhyme book and wrote one word

....goodbye...

this is the story of the man that never made it

that did something amazing but they hid it in the basement

this is the story of the man that never made it

who's still sittin' and waiting 'cause he doesn't want to face it