howdy i m gonna tell you a story most of it is true it goes back to my early memory and maybe it will show you why i do the things i do i was born in new york city but my mom s from tennessee tennessee a little town called newport where the folks don t grow too tall and they don t grow too short it s a place of moderation common sense and decency well it s nothing like the way i am but it s how i m gonna be oh but on a serious note i believe i left my cell phone in my coat they are riding in a taxi down to 7th street and d and that s a long way from newport tennessee howdy again to continue my story on my educational road to glory i was kicked out of a school or two or maybe it was three i got mostly incompletes but in math i bought a c i bought a c and then i rambled around drove my car from slumberville to lonesome town joined a band but it didn t go so i booked some time on nashville s music row hush now everybody get low down i don t want no electric guitars in the background i m trying to concentrate on how you find serenity when you re born in new york city but your mom s from tennessee and i got issues hell i got pain there s a lot i can t remember even more i can t explain no it don t make much sense to me still i m proud my mama comes from tennessee yes i m proud my mama comes from tennessee