Story Behind The Song

Starting out my adult life at the bottom of the ladder and working my way up - I survived the hard times and made it

Song Description

HArd work, poverty and sacrifice are just the dues you pay in life. To have a life worth living there will be dues to pay

Lyrics

The Dues I Paid By Andy Budd - Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

My first car was 'an ol' Rambler....,just a fifty-dollar sled
My first house was a trailer, just a kitchen, bath & bed
When I couldn't pay the rent they put me on the street
What good is a place to stay if ya can't afford to eat

I had no place to go so I just lived in that old car
Sometimes you gotta suck it up, that's just the way things are

Chorus:
You don't know where I come from but back in the olden days
Back when Christ was still a corporal. Let me tell ya the dues I paid
Now, You don't know where I come from, but back in my younger days
Back when muscle cars had muscle. Let me tell ya the dues I paid

My first job I was overworked and severely underpaid...
A hundred bucks a week, working six twelve hour days
It was the hardest job I ever had. Now, that's the gospel truth
If I complained the boss 'd say, "suck it up and pay your dues."

Life gives back what you put in, My grandpa used to say
To have a life worth livin', son, there will be dues to pay

Chorus:

Bridge:
A hard days work, won't kill ya, you'll pass out before you die
Tough times don't last, Tough peo-ple do, someday you'll realize
What don't kill ya makes ya stronger, I'm here to testify

Today, I'm under-worked ...and some say, over paid
Some folks say I've been lucky, but I earned every dime I've made.
Today, I've got the top down, cruisin' the boulevard
Ain't it funny, how lucky a man can get when he's been working hard

And now, you know where I come from. I survived those early days
Got a couple of scars to prove it, but all my dues are paid

Repeat last two lines and fade out