This actually was how my day started. A few years ago, I was off to fix a tire on my wife’s van and on the way I got another flat and a speeding ticket. The banjo keeps this song light even though the song deals with the every day struggles of getting ahead in a world that seems to be all about making money.

Lyrics

Getting Ahead - Johnny P. Johnson

Two flat tires and a speeding ticket
I’m not quite sure what to think of this day
‘Cause it’s only half over

I stopped at the mailbox, there isn’t much in it
Just a stack of bills with my credit card limit
And it’s telling me, I’m almost maxed out

You know the harder I try the further I fall behind
I’m not winning any kind of race
In fact I’m falling off the pace of getting ahead

Well the mortgage is due and I could use a new tractor
The other one’s ready for the here and after
But I don’t know how I’m ever going to pay for it

And the wife says the kids got to go to college
They need some kind of special knowledge
But I don’t know how I’m ever going to afford it

You know the harder I try the further I fall behind
I’m not winning any kind of race
In fact I’m falling off the pace of getting ahead

Well there’s a man at the door, he’s asking for money
I look at him and say that’s pretty funny
And I tell him where I think he should go

Then we go to church and they’re asking for funds
They want to start up some kind of new program to run
And then I tell them it’s going to have to wait

You know the harder I try the further I fall behind
I’m not winning any kind of race
In fact I’m falling off the pace of getting ahead

You know the harder I try the further I fall behind
I’m not winning any kind of race
In fact I’m falling off the pace of getting ahead

Yeh, I’m falling off the pace of getting ahead
Yeh I’m not even in the race of getting ahead