Been There, Done That

Life is a game, easy to learn, hard to master
As you get older, the wheel just spins faster
Fortune & disaster, ups & downs, nothing new
good times & bad, of both I've had a few
But we all do, so if you snooze, you lose
and you'll find yourself singin' the blues
You can just cruise thru life, or you can choose
your moves, I'm still around, I'm a survivor
Hot-wired my way thru life like MacGuyver
Scheming conniver, I'm still goin' strong
just makin' shit up as I go along
So when it all goes wrong, I'll pull thru
and dodge misfortune's slings & arrows, too
I'll make do, learn to smile, go the 2nd mile
grin & bear it when my future's on trial
and my past's on file, still standing tall
Thru all this world's near-misses & close calls
banana peels, dead ends, walls, fine print & pitfalls
blizzards & squalls, for I've weathered them all
Gone the distance, I'm in this for the long haul
Been there, done that




There was a time I was broke as a joke
Empty pockets, I ain't blowin' no smoke
Written off with a single pen-stroke
by the Powers That Be, pity's all I invoked
When it rains, it pours, I was soaked
I was so broke I squeaked when I walked
just asked for work when I talked
Because I was locked out, left high & dry
passed by no matter how hard I tried
And that was why I just couldn't win
but then I finally found a back door in
At last found my chance to beat the System
handful of things left to lose & I risked 'em
So I switched 'em & was dealt a new hand
start a new game, I'm a man with a plan
to set out & go as far as I can
Then the troubles began & I was backstabbed
two-faced bastards sold me out, I was trapped
And damn, here I am, so just let me recap:
in a nutshell, been thru hell trusting you
Back to Square One, but I learned a thing or two
Back to the drawing board again, nothing new
Been there, done that




Been here, been there, little of everywhere
back & forth from well-off to Welfare
and anywhere in between, they go to extremes
while I just try to live within my means
So what the hell, you never can tell
they say the best revenge is living well
And you know you can't take it with you, man
so just enjoy this life while you can
If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen
then just get out & quitcherbitchin'
about your position & lack of vision
too busy brooding to see what you're missin'
Instead of just wishin', find something to do
This world never runs out of ways to try you
Always pays to find real friends who stand by you
won't deny you when, right from the get-go
it all goes wrong, are you just gonna let go?
Say it's over just 'cause someone else said so?
You know how it goes, first your money, then your clothes
Easy come, easy go, it just goes to show
that experience is the best teacher
It's still life's most unchanging feature
Let time teach the lessons & never forget
or else all you'll get is a life of regret
Been there, done that