[Verse 1]
Got a one-way ticket and a borrowed guitar
Daddy's disappointment weighing down my heart
Singapore's lights burn through the haze
While Saigon memories haunt my days
These terminal walls closing in on me
Caught between who I am and who they want me to be
[Chorus]
I've got those cross-continental blues
Walking in borrowed shoes
Mama's crying on the telephone line
While I'm chasing this dream of mine
Yeah, I got those cross-continental blues
Damned if I win, damned if I lose
[Verse 2]
Old man said "Son, you're throwing it all away"
But these strings speak truths I can't betray
Pressed shirt and tie, that ain't my style
Been living their lie for a mighty long while
Each note I bend, each chord I play
Washes their expectations away
[Bridge]
Between the East and West
Trying to find my rest
In smoky bars and empty halls
Fighting against these walls
Hell, I ain't asking for your blessing anymore
Just leave me here on this foreign shore
[Verse 3]
Every airport feels like another cage
Every hometown visit fills me with rage
They want a doctor, lawyer, or engineer
But I found my soul in this six-string here
Let them talk about face and family name
'Cause these blues are all I need to stay sane
[Chorus]
I've got those cross-continental blues
Walking in borrowed shoes
Mama's crying on the telephone line
While I'm chasing this dream of mine
Yeah, I got those cross-continental blues
Damned if I win, damned if I lose
[Outro]
The ghost of tradition's breathing down my neck
But this guitar's all I've got left to respect
Yeah, this guitar's all I've got left to respect