in a dusty shack high in the blue ridge mountains it was tough work brown dirt and bluegrass songs sweet hickory filled the air daddy s love was hard but fair if i knew how rich i was i d not have gone but the city called my name and i came runnin with my young man s hopes and my daddy s old guitar i played the dives and paid some dues singin every tune i knew and them homesick ones i sang the best by far now i ve seen the sun go down on the streets of new york town and i ve watched it from the hills of old virginia beauty s what the eye beholds one man s dirt s another s gold oh but sometimes the grass is really greener well now the record company man confessed he liked me but he d have to shave a few rough edges down cut my hair like brooks and dunns trade the banjo for some drums cause no one would buy that old high lonesome sound now i don t know just what this deal has got me i ve gained not a fan and i lost the ones i had i ve worn my heart right through my sleeve singin a song i don t believe i believe i ll go back home to mom and dad now i ve seen the sun go down on the streets of new york town and i ve watched it from the hills of old virginia beauty s what the eye beholds one man s dirt s another s gold oh but sometimes the grass is really greener  in a dusty shack high in the blue ridge mountains and when i die it s on this farm they ll lay me down and the hills will hear my song cause it s there that i belong man you just can t shake old roots from southern ground now i ve seen the sun go down on the streets of new york town and i ve watched it from the hills of old virginia beauty s what the eye beholds one man s dirt s another s gold oh but sometimes the grass is really greener