Well I bought myself an out of tune guitar
In forty years I've never learned to tune it
And I hoped that it would take me very far
And so I play the best that I can do it
And I never gave up trying and I never lost my faith
If I didn't make it through I would wait the wait
And I just kept right on playing until my fingers swelled
Some said they loved me some could go to hell
'Cause I bought myself and an out of tune guitar and learned to play it well

Well I hit the road when I was just 19
Heading west where I could show some promise
But you know the grass is always green
And pretty soon I had to fill my wallet
And I met a real fine lady and I took her for my bride
And way up in the canyon we found a place to hide
And I'd learn my favorite love songs sing them just for her
Went and had some babies, tried to get things stirred
'Cause I bought myself an out of tune guitar, I wanted to be heard

And I never gave up playing had my hands tied to my waist
I never was for sitting down or falling on my face
I just kept keeping at it it was all that I could do
One thing is for certain once I quit, I am through

Sometimes I see friends that used to play
But they've gone and put it in the closet
They sit around and talk about the day
And how they could have been someone but dropped it
Well I don't pay attention I don't have the time
I'm just hanging in there trying for that dime
Or maybe a few million well today you need a few
To start an institution to start something new
'Cause I bought myself an out of tune guitar and tuned it just for you, just for you
Well I bought myself an out of tune guitar, tuned it just for you