some days you get diamonds some days nickels and dimes some days life s a poem some days nothing rhymes some days you re a winner some days you lose some days all you re doing is paying dues on a wednesday i was playing in a biker bar outside topeka on that friday i was playing on a blues cruise going to dominica ebbs and flows like the tide some days you get diamonds some days nickels and dimes some days sparkle some days nothing shines some days you re given some days you choose some days all you re doing is paying dues tonight i m sleeping in a 5 star hotel wouldn t ask for more but i remember i wound up many a night sleeping on a stranger s floor sometimes you walk sometimes you ride some folks treat you like something under their shoe ain t nothin new others greet you like a holy prophet now what you gonna do you try to take it all in stride cause some days you get diamonds some days nickels and dimes some days you re out of tune some days it all chimes some days you re grinnin some days you re frownin the blues some days all you re doing is payin dues some days all you re doing is payin dues