he wore a song around his neck like some medal of honor he carried his wisdom like a knife an empty pocket was a temporary chain knowing you ve got it coming ain t no crime every blue note that rolled off his tongue you could feel his soul twisting right in two nobody knew where he came from ah but everybody knew everybody knew he was the real thing no doubt about it the kind that you remember when they re gone the real thing put here for a reason we knew someday the whole world was going to know his name he was the real thing she whispered in his ear and he heard the thunder singing bout a world he never knew head spinning round he began to wonder was he made to love her or born to sing the blues he searched inside him for an answer but all he found was a troubled mind he left her somewhere on the blue highway oh it wasn t just another love that he left behind it was the real thing no doubt about it the kind that you remember when it s gone the real thing not like passion s fire but a burning smoldering eternal flame it was the real thing and sometimes at night he longs for her whisper but he hides from the dawn cause he always wakes to find her gone in some broken down dressing room in some major city the thunder plays an old familiar tune he spies a face of a distant angel outside beneath the halo moon finger on the trigger needle in the vein one more bullet it might be your last ride this is ain t no no show this ain t no nervous breakdown and it sure as hell ain t the time to let the fool decide this is the real thing no doubt about it who cares if they love you and you re gone this is the real thing so you were put here for a reason but what gives you the right to quit when you re tired anyway boy this ain t no game this is the real thing he wore a song around his neck like some medal of honor he carried his wisdom like a knife