No. 29
Steve Earle & The Dukes Lyrics

I was born and raised here this town's my town
I am a lifelong resident of this town.

Everybody knows my name
I am a well-known figure in this town.

But ever since the glass plant closed down
Since the closing of the glass plant, significant changes have taken place.

Things round here ain't never been the same
The town has never been the same since the plant's closure.

I got me a good job alright but some nights
I have a decent job, but some nights I am reminded of the past.

Take me to another time
I am transported to a different time in my life.

Back when I was No. 29
I am referencing a certain time in my life when I was number twenty-nine.

I was pretty good then don't you know watch him go
I was a skilled athlete and people enjoyed watching me play.

Buddy I could really fly
I was very fast and agile on the field.

Everyone in town came, hip flasks, horn blasts
Everyone in the town came to watch football games, which were lively and boisterous.

Any autumn Friday night
Football games were played on Fridays during the fall.

Sally yelled her heart out push em back, way back
Sally, my girlfriend at the time, was very supportive and vocal during games.

I was hers and she was mine
Sally and I were in a relationship and very attached to one another.

We were playin' Smithville big boys, farm boys
We were playing against the Smithville football team, which had players of varying backgrounds.

Second down and four to go
The game was in its second down, and the team needed four yards to advance.

Bubba brought the play in good call my ball
Bubba, our quarterback, made a good call, and the ball was passed to me.

Now they're gonna see a show
The fans and opposing team members were about to witness something remarkable.

But Bubba let his man go I cut back, heard it crack
Bubba unfortunately missed a crucial block, but I made a cutback and still made an amazing play despite an injury.

It still hurts me but I don't mind
The injury still bothers me, but I appreciate the experience and memory of making the play.

Reminds me I was No. 29
The injury is a reminder of when I was number twenty-nine.

Now I go to the ballgames cold nights, half pints
I still attend football games, sometimes bringing half-full bottles of alcohol to cope with the cold.

Friday nights I'm always here
I am a regular attendee of the town's Friday night football games.

We got a pretty good team, good boys, strong boys
The current football team is talented and composed of respectable young men.

District champs the last three years
The team has won the district championship for the past three years.

Got a little tailback pretty slick, real quick
The team has a talented running back who is agile and quick on his feet.

I take him for a steak sometimes
I take the running back out to eat at a steakhouse on occasion.

Nowadays he's No. 29
The running back currently wears the number twenty-nine jersey.

I don't follow rainbows, big dreams, brass rings
I am content with what I have and don't wish for anything more grandiose.

I've already captured mine
I have already experienced something that has brought me a great deal of joy and satisfaction.

Back when I was No. 29
Yet again, I am referring to a specific moment in my life when I was number twenty-nine.