Now i'm just a bartender And i don't like my work But i don't mind the money at all I see lots of sad faces And lots of bad cases Of folks with their backs to the wall Chorus: But i need four walls around me to hold my life To keep me from going a-stray And a honky-tonk angel to hold me tight To keep me from slipping away I can light up your smokes I can laugh at your jokes I can watch you fall down on your knees I can close down this bar I can gas up my car I can pack up and mail in my key Chorus: Now, the smoke fills the air In this honky-tonk bar And i'm thinking 'bout where i'd rather be But i burned all my bridges I sank all my ships And i'm stranded at the edge of the sea Chorus: