The Pursuit of Happiness

Riding out past all the places.
That I've a reason to go.
Kentucky hills and fences...
Fields cleared of their stones.
Gonna find me a crossroad.
Ask a stranger where to go.
Gotta find a clear view of the sky...
Out past the open road.

'Bout half way to Jellico
All the lines wore off the road
Some old man patching holes with his bare hands.
Working as hard as I've ever seen.
He had no taste for the touch screens...
'Cause they ain't nothing like the real thing.
He used those simple machines...
He knew how to make the hammer ring.

He said, "I want it as bad as you do.
I just ain't willing to take it from somebody else...
'Cause on my way to happiness
I wound up paving the road."

When I came back home,
My family was waiting for me.
I looked into my son's eyes,
and they were wild as the sea.
Oh, he asked me a simple question...
why do I have to leave.
Oh, son because it's a chance to make a living...
that don't make other folks bleed.
Yeah... you know I want it as bad as you do.
I just ain't willing to take it from somebody else.
'Cause on my way to happiness,
I met a poor man paving the road.