My self-importance is a God-forsaken bore I aim for heaven but I wake up on the floor I take up with the rattlesnakes but get my point across And I'd argue with a parking brake to show them who's the boss It's my intention to inspire Instead of reaching to the choir I had some money but I blew it living high My wine and women were the best that you could buy I tried to prove myself a man of certain taste But all I've got to show you now is written on my face I'm not someone you'd admire But I'm still preaching to the choir I'm born a lion but I don't believe it fits I'm no king of the jungle out here living by my wits This morning's paper called for romance on a whim And I reckon I'd believe them if they told me St. Gawd Swim I'm underwater, not on fire But I'm still preaching to the choir Baytown, Texas, there's a fisherman I knew He read the Bible and he spit tobacco too He said that *** about the rod you spare to spoil a child But it's only propaganda meant to keep you in denial Go on and follow your desire But he was preaching to the choir Time is of the essence when you're hanging by a thread And the answer to your questions won't unravel in your head When you're staring at forever from the edge of life's abyss Ain't no one gonna tell you how it all came down to this If you say it different, you're a liar But I'm just preaching to the choir When I'm standing at St. Peter's Gate and trying to slip on in I might as well plead guilty to the worst of who I've been I used to like to think I had a special way with words Right now I'm convinced I have more in common with the birds Until my situation's dire I'll keep on preaching to the choir Hey, I'm not ready to retire So I'll keep preaching to the choir Hey, I'm not ready to retire So I'll keep preaching to the choir *