Thirty-five Years (Taking Back My Life)

On July 4, 1993 I attended some concerts in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas. These were the first concerts I had attended since the early '70's. These concerts, where I saw the rock group America, Stephen Still, and (for all intents and purposes) The Eagles perform, changed my life. I had lived in a personal hell for most of my life. But, without drinking or smoking anything stronger than a Pepsi or a Marlboro I was higher than a kite for at least 6 weeks after those concerts. Three months later I bought my first of 3 guitars for that year. I played guitar in every spare moment I had for the next three years, until hard times hit me due the mistakes of someone else. But, in those 3 years I wrote maybe a dozen songs. They were left in storage, and this is the only one that I have been able to find. The original title was "Thirty-five Years". I updated it to match the time for my retirement in November, 2009.

Thirty-five Years (Taking Back My Life)
Copyright, 2010 by Keith Birmingham. 4/4 time.

For thirty-five years I’ve been breakin’ my back
In the heat of a July sun.
For thirty-five years I’ve  busted my butt
On those cold December runs.
For thirty-five years I gave the man
The best years of my life.
And now I think it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my life.

For thirty-five years I gave the woman
Everything I could
For thirty-five years I have done exactly
What I said I would.
But now she’s gone. I’m on my own.
And, Lord I love this life.
Cause now I think it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my life.
Now I think it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my live.

Thirty-five years of sorrow and pain
And now I’ve been set free.
To talk the talk, and walk the walk,
Of the man I want to be.
So look out world I’m steppin’ out
In the prime of my life.
And now I know it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my life.
And now I know it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my  life.

I said now I know it’s time for me
To be takin’ back my life.
Blank
And, I’m takin’ back my life.