The Truth (or as close as I get)

This is the truth
or as close as I get,
I still haven’t found
a remedy yet
to ease my worried mind,
to right my reeling heart,
to make into someone
someone else might think is smart,
so I’ll just ramble on,
keep trying to forget,
close to the truth
is as close as I get

Mama did her very best
and Papa taught me right,
something had to with dogs
and how the small ones fight.
I shot from kindergarten
straight through to junior high,
and then I got a mortarboard,
a handshake and goodbye;

I don’t know where it went,
there’s not much I recall,
bubble tests and tater tots,
a smile in the hall -
so I just rambled on,
I threw my books away,
I never had much use
For all the things they had to say

This is the truth
or as close as I get,
I still haven’t found
a remedy yet
to right my reeling heart,
to ease my worried mind,
to make into someone
someone else might want to find,
so I’ll just ramble on,
keep trying to forget,
close to the truth
is as close as I get.

Maryann shone like the sun
and Katie was a pearl,
Jenny was exactly how
I’d build myself a girl,
Sarah lived her life
like every day’d be her last,
Lily kissed me like I was
a secret from her past;

I don’t know where they went,
those nights we were endeared,
I guess they were so magical
they all just disappeared -
so I just rambled on,
I left their memories,
I never had much use
for things that bring me to my knees

This is the truth
or as close as I get,
I still haven’t found
a remedy yet
to silence all my doubts,
To soothe my troubled soul,
to make into someone
someone else might think is whole,
so I’ll just ramble on,
keep trying to forget,
close to the truth
is as close as I get.

Of course I’ve done some living,
I’ve seen a thing or two,
I figured I’d get married,
seemed like the thing to do.
It isn’t always easy
and nobody’s always right,
I think that’s what I’ll tell her
if she walks back in tonight;

I don’t know where she went,
I don’t know what she said,
I didn’t know a person’s face
could turn that shade of red -
I guess she’s movin’ on,
I guess I set her free,
if she don't come back
then it just wasn't meant to be

This is the truth
or as close as I get,
I still haven’t found
a remedy yet
to calm my troubled soul,
to silence all my doubts,
to make into someone
someone else can’t do without,
so I’ll just ramble on,
keep trying to forget,
another lonesome highway
and another cigarette,
yes I’ll just ramble on,
until I can forget
close to the truth
is as close as I get

close to the truth
is as close
as I get.