Jenny's Song

[00:12.24] Jenny coulda been a beauty queen
[00:14.11] Blonde hair, 5'5 with some big blue eyes
[00:16.65] Always has a coffee in her hand every time
[00:18.88] She clocks in for her shift on a Friday night
[00:21.23] She waits tables, Waffle House, syrup is maple
[00:23.96] The hours ain't bad and the income is stable
[00:26.05] She knows it could be worse, at least she's healthy and able
[00:28.59] She's tryin' to pay all her bills, she's still late on the cable
[00:31.02] She feels stuck here, she's had a rough go, it's been a tough year
[00:33.47] Has mixed emotions 'bout this town 'cause she grew up here
[00:35.97] So many good memories but such bad luck here
[00:38.05] Dealin' with so much stuff here
[00:40.07] She lost her daddy to cancer, her brother to pills
[00:42.80] Only been six months, still doesn't feel real
[00:45.27] Sometimes it'll hit her and she's suddenly ill
[00:47.73] Goes in the backroom and throws up, then cleans up the spill
[00:50.10] Then she shakes it off and walks back out
[00:52.57] "What can I get y'all?", then she writes that down
[00:54.75] Refills the water cups and then turns around
[00:57.22] And that smile changes back to a frown
[01:00.00] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[01:04.15] Everything's gonna be alright
[01:10.21] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[01:13.77] Everything's gonna be just fine
[01:18.92] She clocks out 10:03 and counts her tips
[01:21.06] 75 bucks, not bad for a shift
[01:23.58] She fills her tank up with gas, buys a Coke and chips
[01:26.09] Then drives 'cross-town to pick up both her kids
[01:28.57] See, Annie is nine, Jackson's seven
[01:30.70] She was a senior in high school when she got pregnant
[01:33.43] They were a mistake and a gift straight from Heaven
[01:35.81] It's tough as a single mom, but she's learned a lesson
[01:38.01] She's got a new man, he treats her real good, he does construction
[01:40.58] She's takin' it slow, it's been a few months and
[01:43.00] She could maybe see it really turnin' into somethin'
[01:45.25] But her heart's been broken too many times, no need to rush it
[01:47.85] She says, "Eat your dinner, ice cream, then bed"
[01:50.35] Alarm clock goes off at 6:00 a.m
[01:52.55] She gets the kids dressed for school, then she's off again
[01:55.08] Jenny's clockin' in her second job at the Day's Inn
[01:57.42] She cleans the rooms, takes out trash
[01:59.92] Changes sheets, sweeps the floor, folds the mats, then
[02:02.43] Leaves at three to pick up Annie and Jack
[02:04.78] Then drop 'em off with a sitter, workin' back to back
[02:07.43] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[02:11.50] Everything's gonna be alright
[02:17.32] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[02:20.83] Everything's gonna be just fine
[02:25.58] Well, Jenny says, "I'll be back, mommy's gonna meet her friends"
[02:28.67] She's in the church parking lot at 8:00 p.m
[02:30.75] She has a smoke outside with her sponsor Kim
[02:33.29] They talk about life and findin' peace within
[02:35.73] Then they sit down and listen to everybody's stories
[02:38.18] She would never say it, but she finds it kinda boring
[02:40.67] In the back of her mind, she thinks, "This ain't really for me"
[02:42.95] She don't like to open up, but Kim says it is important
[02:45.53] "Hi, my name is Jenny, I'm an addict
[02:47.45] It's been six months to the very day it happened
[02:50.24] December 14th, I witnessed something tragic
[02:52.70] I've been sober two months now and haven't relapsed yet
[02:55.26] My daddy was a good man, he worked in the mines
[02:57.37] Spend his whole life underground, never got a chance to shine
[02:59.91] Mix that black lung with Marlboro lights
[03:02.18] And he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 59
[03:04.85] Slowly but surely he wilted away
[03:06.91] Chemo took everything he had, but he would never break
[03:09.43] Crackin' jokes at the end, tellin' us to be brave
[03:11.31] He was the kindest man I've ever known, I miss him every day
[03:14.17] My brother Chris had just got back from overseas
[03:16.89] He comes home to see daddy and all those IVs
[03:19.09] It was too much to bear, and now I'm startin' to see
[03:21.29] My little brother loses himself more piece by piece
[03:23.72] Coke turned to pills, pills turned to H
[03:26.23] All that stuff these days, is fed on our list
[03:28.68] One bad batch, one time, that's all it takes
[03:31.25] I know Chris didn't wanna die, and it was a mistake
[03:33.44] We laid him to rest up there next to daddy
[03:35.90] Up there on the hill and that big willow tree
[03:38.19] I put fresh flowers on their grave from time to time
[03:40.92] But the weight of all of this is weighin' down on me
[03:43.18] My drinkin' got so bad, I was a terrible mom
[03:45.65] For weeks and I could barely keep a job
[03:48.12] I'm turnin' it around, I got sober, found God
[03:50.61] I'm just blessed to be alive, but some days it's so hard
[03:53.12] I'm sorry for ramblin', thanks for listenin'"
[03:55.29] Everybody applauds, Jenny sits back down
[03:57.47] She feels the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders
[03:59.95] But all she really wants to do is cry right now
[04:02.04] She hugs Kim, smokes again, then heads back home
[04:04.81] Annie and Jack try to wait up, but they just fell asleep
[04:07.25] "They were up late, watchin' YouTube on my phone"
[04:09.40] The sitter says as she grabs a coat to leave
[04:11.98] Jenny checks on her kids, turns out the lights
[04:14.66] Brushes her teeth and slowly climbs into bed
[04:16.59] She lies awake for hours, just thinkin' 'bout life
[04:19.34] Wonderin' if she'll ever feel normal again
[04:22.58] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[04:25.72] Everything's gonna be alright
[04:31.55] Hey, hey, it's gon' be okay
[04:35.06] Everything's gonna be just fine
[04:38.42]