[Verse 1]
It was my senior year
I just turned eighteen
I was a Friday night hero, with division one dreams
I had an offer on the table
A four year ride
'Til that fourth and two and twenty four dive

[Chorus 1]
I left on a stretcher, wound up on a crutch
Walked on that next summer
Wound up getting cut
I flipped off that coach, left that school in the dust
For letting my dreams go bust
But I thank God I ain't what I almost was

[Verse 2]
Yeah, I moved on back home
And came awful close to being some son-in-law to some CEO
Could a been a corner office, country club, suit and tie man
Answering' to no one, but her and him

[Chorus 2]
I ran out on his money, ran out on her love
At four in the morning I loaded my truck
I left my home town in a big cloud of dust
I just had to follow my gut
And I thank God I ain't what I almost was

[Verse 3]
In guitar town I bought this old epiphone
Started stringin' chords and words into songs
I've been putting in time on Sixteenth Avenue
Pouring out my heart for tips on a stool

[Chorus 3]
I ain't making a killing, but then there's those nights
When the song comes together and hits 'em just right
The crowds on their feet cause they can't get enough
Of this music I make and I love
And I thank God I ain't, yeah I thank God I ain't
Man I thank God I ain't, what I almost was

Eric Church

Eric Church is an American country music singer-songwriter from Granite Falls, North Carolina. After graduating from Appalachian State University with a business degree in 2000, Eric became engaged to a Spanish teacher from Lenior, NC whose father attempted to deter his musical aspirations by offering him a corporate career in Denver. After turning down her father’s offer, Church’s ex-fiance broke the engagement, giving Church motivation to move to Nashville and begin focusing solely on his music. Recollections of this turning point in Church’s life are heard throughout his lyrical portfolio (most prominently in “Those I’ve Loved”).

After a period of being overlooked by record labels and producers, Church was eventually signed to Capitol Records in 2006, making his debut with the album, Sinners Like Me. The album produced four singles on the Billboard Country Chart, “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” “Guys Like Me,” and the album’s title track.

His second album, 2009’s Carolina, produced three more “Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most,” and “Hell on the Heart.”