Story Behind The Song

"We Ain't Got Much But We Sure Got A Lot" is really a short autobiography of my own life. The song was originally written in 2004, with an additional verse being added five years later to update what was going on in our family. All the events in the song are based on real experiences, but are meant to reflect the everyday, normal events in the lives of families in general.

Song Description

Life as a family these days is challenging to say the least. There are so many pressures to find happiness in having a bigger house, nicer cars, fancy cloths. But the reality for most families is that life is a struggle--a struggle to keep food on the table, to keep up with buying cloths that kids will wear out or grow out of before the next paycheck arrives. But the bottom line is that despite the challenges and expense of raising a family, happiness can be had by anyone who recognizes that money alone is not the source of happiness, fostering and enjoying family relationships is where real happiness is.

Lyrics

It's been nineteen years since we started out new.
I didn't have much, but I did have you.
We bought a small trailer just big enough for two.
Your job as a secretary put me through school.
Then before long came a little baby girl,
She stole our hearts and put our life in a whirl.
Remember those junky ol' cars we bought?
'Cause we didn't have much, but we sure had a lot.

I finished up school, our lives turned another page.
I worked for a while earning minimum wage.
We lived on nothin' much more than romance,
But I knew I could make it if I just had the chance.
Then a good job opened up nearby,
I made an application, thought I'd give it a try;
Remember that rejection letter that I got?
Well, we didn't have much, but we sure had a lot.

CHORUS
Well the job worked out, more kids came along.
And nineteen good years have come and gone.
Lookin' back it ain't very hard to figure out,
The good Lord's been helping us without a doubt.

Well the car needs fixin' and the kids need shoes,
Refrigerator's empty and the house payment's due.
Life as a family is quite a big thrill,
But we always manage somehow to pay the bills.
And sometimes the kids are bouncin' off the walls,
Spilling on the carpet and runnin' down the halls.
You wonder if you're sorry, but you know you're not,
Because we ain't got much, but we sure got a lot.

CHORUS
I can?t believe the baby?s already turned four,
Before long he?ll be grown and out the door.
Lookin? back it ain?t very hard to figure out
The good Lord?s been helpin? us without a doubt.

Well my teenage son is a?buggin? me to drive,
I keep saying no ?cause I want to stay alive.
My daughter says the prom dress she wants is on sale,
But when I see the price tag my face turns pale.
The little boys want to sleep over at a friend?s,
Won?t somebody tell me when this chaos will end?
You wonder if you?re crazy but you know you?re not,
Because we ain?t got much but we sure got a lot.
I said we ain't got much, but we sure got a lot.