Written by Harvey Andrews
INTRO: Dm A7 Dm A7 verse 1 Dm Well, I had the contract with me Gm I was opening for a star C I'd seen him on the concert stage Dm I'd watched him from afar F I hadn't heard much lately C Of anything he'd done Dm But he sang songs of rights and wrongs A7 Of those who'd lost or won verse 2 Dm So it was in a run down nightclub Gm In a broken part of town C I was on the long way up Dm He was on the long way down F I saw him in a corner C Playing pinball, killing time Dm I asked him how he was A7 And with a smile he answered "Fine" With a smile he answered "Fine" Then he saidverse 3 Dm Well, never meet your heroes Gm I've read that line somewhere C They're just like you and me Dm With all our hope and our despair F I said “It's never that bad C There's always one more day Dm There's always one more song to sing A7 And one more tune to play" verse 4 Dm Well, he just looked me up and down Gm And then he slowly shook his head C He said "To stay alive, try 9 to 5 Dm To earn your daily bread" F I said "You were my idol C You handed me this dream" Dm He turned away and pointed A7 To the battered old machine That battered old machine And he saidF "Sonny, it's the same old pinball Dm I played ten years ago C Now it's just like me, friend F C F The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Dm Now I'm way down low C Still playing the same old pinball clubs F Dm A7 Dm A7 I played ten years ago"VERSE 5 Dm He said "I made a lot of money Gm And I drank a lot of wine C I paid for all my pleasures Dm And I had a real good time F I never stayed in one place C Longer than a day Dm I gave them pearls and told the girls A7 I really couldn't stay" VERSE 6 Dm "But where, where'd it go to sonny? Gm It came and went so fast C It's far too easy nowadays Dm To live back in the past F But I'm still good for doing C What I've always done Dm There hasn't been a house yet A7 I haven't fought and won I haven't fought and won." Then he saidF "Sonny, it's the same old pinball Dm I played ten years ago C Now it's just like me, friend F C F The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Dm Now I'm way down low C Still playing the same old pinball clubs F Dm A7 Dm A7 I played ten years ago"VERSE 7 Dm "So now they're out there waiting Gm And they don't know who you are C They don't care for your future Dm They'll just prop up the bar F And you, you'll sing your heart out C And maybe some will hear Dm And maybe you'll come back A7 And play this place again next year" VERSE 8 Dm "So, go on and do your set now, sonny Gm Before they get too drunk C And please, don't count them, sonny Dm These glasses that I've sunk F I'll do my show, remember C I've never lost them yet Dm But sonny, sometimes lately A7 It's been an even bet It's been an even bet." Then he saidF "Sonny, it's the same old pinball Dm I played ten years ago C Now it's just like me, friend F C F The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Dm Now I'm way down low C Still playing the same old pinball clubs F Dm A7 Dm A7 I played ten years ago"VERSE 9 Dm He's long gone and forgotten Gm His name you never knew C But what reminded me Dm Was when I turned and looked at you F Standing there so happy C With your new guitar and dreams Dm One question for you, sonny A7 Can you play these machines Can you play these machinesF "Sonny, it's the same old pinball Dm I played ten years ago C Now it's just like me, friend F C F The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Dm Now I'm way down low C Still playing the same old pinball clubs F Dm A7 Dm A7 I played ten years ago"F 'Cause sonny it's the same old pinball Dm He played ten years ago C And now it's just like me friend F C F The action's getting slow I've been to the top friend Dm And now I'm way down low C Still playing the same old pinball clubs F I played ten years ago" C Yes, I'm playing the same old pinball clubs F I played ten years ago"