If I was runnin' this country
I'd start it over from scratch
Keep what's good, pile up what's bad
And then I'd strike the match
Yeah, we'd go back to the basics
Of how things ought to be
Yeah, there'd be a lot of changes
If it was left up to me

'Cause what this country needs
Is a little more steel guitar
And put a litte fiddle right in the middle
Straight out of a Texas bar
And give us a song, we can all sing along
From sea to shining sea
Be proud of it and always love it
That's what this country needs

Now if you want to hear about livin'
Just twist that radio dial
'Til you come to a singer singin'
What life is all about
'Cause you can't deny that people still cry
They laugh and they smile and they hurt
And that's my humble opinion y'all
You can take it for what it's worth

'Cause what this country needs
Is a little more steel guitar
And put a litte fiddle right in the middle
Straight out of a Texas bar
And give us a song, we can all sing along
From sea to shining sea
Be proud of it and always love it
That's what this country needs

Yeah, turn it on up and let it ring out
Across the land of the free
They ought to build a statue of Hand Williams, Sr.
In Washington, D.C.

'Cause what this country needs
Is a little more steel guitar
Yeah and put a sawin' fiddle right square in the middle
Straight out of a Texas bar
And ya'll give us a song, we can all sing along
From sea to shining sea
Be proud of it and always love it
That's what this country needs

You just be proud of it and always love it
And that's what this country needs