The Marlboro Man

THE MARLBORO MAN

HE WAS TALL AND HE WAS RUGGED
HE WAS LEAN AND HE WAS MEAN
HE RODE HARD AND HE RODE FAST
ACROSS MY T.V. SCREEN

HE PULLED BACK ON THE REIGNS
TO BRING HIS HORSE TO A HALT
WHEN THE DUST FINALLY SETTLED
HE FOUND THE CIGARETTES HE HAD SOUGHT

HE PULLED FROM HIS SHIRT POCKET
THAT FAMILIAR RED PACK
HE STRUCK THE MATCH ON HIS BOOT HEAL
AS THE CAMERA FADED BACK

HE DREW HARD AND HE DREW DEEP
AS HE GAZED AT THE HERD
HE BLEW SMOKE FROM HIS LUNGS
AND HE SPOKE NOT A WORD

THE JINGLE SAID IT ALL
ABOUT THE COWBOY ON TV
"IF YOU WANT TO BE COOL, THEN BE COOL LIKE ME
BUY YOURSELF A PACK, AND COME TO MARLBORO COUNTRY"

I ADMIRED THAT MAN
AS A BOY OF THIRTEEN
NOW THIRTY YEARS LATER
I'M HOOKED ON NICOTINE

THE SMELL OF TOBACCO
THE STAINS ON MY TEETH
THE BURNING OF MY EYES
THERE'S NEVER ANY RELIEF

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER
AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH
WAS ALL IT HAD COST ME
TO BRING ME CLOSER TO DEATH

I STILL HAVE BOTH LUNGS
BUT I'M STARTING TO HACK
BUT I WON'T REALLY WORRY
TILL MY LUNGS BOTH TURN BLACK

I TRIED TO QUIT SMOKING
WHEN THE PRICE WENT SKY HIGH
BUT IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY MARLBORO'S
THEN I WOULD RATHER DIE

"I CAN QUIT ANYTIME"
I'D OFTEN EXPLAIN
BUT I'M HOOKED ON THE NICOTINE
AS IT SHOOTS STRAIGHT FOR MY BRAIN

SO BE WISE AS AN OWL
AND CLEVER AS A FOX
SO YOU'LL KNOW THE ANSWER TO
FILTER, FLAVOR, PACK, OR BOX?