Gary Jules Barstool Lyrics

An old man on a barstool, watchin' TV,
He got up and came over to sit closer to me.
He said, "You look familiar to someone I knew
But when were your age we were older than you.
Jimmy was twenty and I seventeen;
To us there was nothing but girls and machines.
Jimmy got married and I went to war;
I still don't know what we were doing it for.
And if you'll buy me a drink -- a Turkey on ice --
Then I could give you some advice.

"You just stay in the bar
For as long as you can.
'Cause as long as you're drinkin'
Then you've got the world in your hand.

"There's no shame in hangin' your world by a string;
You know there's no harm in not thinkin' a thing
But tryin' to find a place for yourself in this world
Is like tryin' to make a wife of an American girl.
And if you'll trade me a drink for a story or two, Then you'll know what you need to do.

"You just stay in the bar
For as long as you can.
You know love is for sissies;
It's whiskey that makes you a man."
Yeah

Now the old man got up, stumbled out in the street;
He'd been drinking all day and left his bar tab with me.
I didn't have the money to cover his bill
But I found me a man -- looked like me, younger still --
And I said, "Buy me a drink and I'll tell you a tale
About the old man who taught me so well."

He said, "Stay in the bar
For as long as you can.
Well, I know you're a friend;
I can tell by the shakes in your hand.

"You just stay in the bar
For as long as you dare.
As long as you're tipping
Then you've got a good friend somewhere."