I'm about to get on a plane to new york city
I'm about to leave this town that's left me feeling so empty
Its just me and my guitar and my words
Yeah, together we can take on the world
Now I've been dreaming bout this since I was young
To get on that stage, I'll show them just where I'm from

And I'll show I'm only alright when I'm up there
I'm only real when I'm up there

As I pack my things I check both my empty pockets
And there's still nothing there
No, there's still nothing there

I turn to my left I see my mother crying
She says to me "why couldn't you have been a doctor or a lawyer?"
I say "come on, you know we've been through this before"
I turn and smile at her as I walked out her door

And I said I'm only alright when I'm up there
I'm only real when I'm up there