I was born in a small town in the hills of TennesseenKentucky raised, just a country boy and that's all I'll ever benMy daddy ran a still house to keep us kids alivenJust doin' what he had to do after mama diednThe same people that called him no goodnWould meet him in the back woods for a little tastenHe said I may take your money but don't put yourself above menDon't cut me down as you walk away nnYou don't know me you don't know who I amnYou don't know the pain that I've been throughnSo don't judge me till you stand where I standnI don't need you or anyone else to approvenCause the blood in these veins is tried and true nnI left home at sixteen with a guitar on my backnWith everything I called my own I carried in a paper sacknSpent years of havin' nothin' and sleepin' in my carnI'd drive all day and play all nightnIn the honky tonks and bars nnThe same people that called me crazynSaid I'm too lazy to amount to anythingnAre the first ones to the stage just beggin' for a little tastenWho say you knew me when nobody knew my name but nnYou don't know me you don't know who I amnYou don't know the pain that I've been throughnSo don't judge me till you stand where I standnI don't need you or anyone else to approvenCause the blood in these veins is tried and true nnThe same people that called me crazynSaid I'm too lazy to amount to anythingnAre the first ones to the stage just beggin' for a little tastenWho say you knew me when nobody knew my name but nnYou don't know me you don't know who I amnYou don't know the pain that I've been throughnSo don't judge me till you stand where I standnI don't need you or anyone else to approvenCause the blood in these veins is tried and true nnThe blood in these veins is tried and true