There was a time that I didn't have bread No place to lay my head I'm doin' alright now in this life Four lovin' babies and a sweet little wife I'm doin' alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means Some people leave and some people don't Some will have and some people won't Some born happy and some born free I don't care, I'm happy as I can be I feel alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means Ditches in the road that I got to hop Hills to climb that I just can't stop Bear my burdens in the heat of the day Keep my chin up as I go along the way I feel alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means It's hard to rise than it is to fall Hard to start than it is to stall If you've never been that old underdog You don't know what it means to eat high on the hog I feel alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means I know the world wasn't made in one day A whole lot of things ain't going my way I don't care now in this life I'm doing, I say, alright I feel alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means I know the world wasn't made in one day I know the things ain't going my way A whole lot of people don't think like me Cause they ain't had no misery I feel alright now People, and it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means It's gonna be one awful time It's got to happen, don't let it worry your mind First will be last and the last will be first It's got to get better, it can't get no worse I feel alright now And it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means I feel alright now I feel alright now I feel alright I feel alright I feel alright Sonny, I feel alright I feel alright I feel alright now And it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means Go ahead, Sonny Boy Hey! I feel alright now Well, I feel it ain't no dream That handwriting on the wall I know just what it means Whoo!