I grew up on a tightrope, learned to smile even when I was falling down.Daddy had a hard hand and mama always had hope, and me and my sister couldn't wait to get out.I fell in love out of college, a good man but a bad year.Visions of sugar plums and boxes of roses, all my girlfriends cried and I was out of heat.Oh!Everybody's dreamin' big, oh, everybody's just gettin' by.That's how it goes in everyday America, a little town and a great big life.Joey stares at a trophy, took us all away to stay.Back in 85, a shinin' moment and a dusty reminder, he never felt so scared, he never felt so alive.But now there's toys in the backyard, daddy's boys, yeah, you know how they like to fight.When they sleep, he swears they are angels, and he wouldn't trade a day for all those frowny nights.Oh!Everybody's dreamin' big, oh, everybody's just gettin' by.That's how it goes in everyday America, a little town and a great big life.We can laugh, we can cry, we're always lookin' for the reasons why.We'll face the dark till we see the light Either way, it'll be alrightOh, oh, everybody's dreamin' big Oh, oh, everybody's just gettin' byThat's how it goes in everyday America A little town and a great big lifeOh, oh, everybody's dreamin' big Oh, oh, everybody's just gettin' byThat's how it goes in everyday America A little town and a great big lifeOh, oh, everybody's just gettin' byThat's how it goes in everyday America A little town and a great big lifeOh, oh, everybody's just gettin' byThat's how it goes in everyday America A little town and a great big lifeI don't need no other liiiiifeyou