Beer and a buddy. Hot peppers in his bloody
James took his medicine at the bar

His favorite hair of the dog

Was good old holiday eggnog
And day after day, months into years

Oh man, I must've seen him drink 7 thousand beers

And he used to joke about his sweat

Tasting like Coors Light

And each night would cue

The dimming of the house lights

That's when he’d stand up and deliver

Heartfelt monologues to anyone who'd listen

‘Til the night tilted & the barlights began to glisten

What are you running from, James?
Lacing the blood in your veins

Morning or evening, the pain's the same
Lie to the mirror, your truth remains

Daylight savings and James is falling backwards
An extra hour of navigating the hazards

A penny saved is an hour earned

His dwindling circle of friends,
They're rightfully concerned

He'd begin most toasts with a wink
And then a ceremonial clink

He'd clear his throat and declare:

"Better the devil you know"

And maybe it was all for show

But even so, the damage was real

The last time I saw him he was crying at the funeral
Awww, he had a heart of gold
Even broken he was beautiful

What are you running from, James?
Lacing the blood in your veins

Morning or evening, the pain's the same
Lie to the mirror, your truth remains

Dancing in the dark with

Dancing in the dark with the devil you know
The devil you know

Before he was hollowed

By those blotto blackouts

Before the decades got swallowed
Before the bailouts and washouts
The nights James recalled feeling most alive
He was dancing in crowded clubs

Under the pulsing sound of

Disco systems in the dark

Turned up to 11
It felt like heaven