Well, me and my lady had our first big fight
So I drove around until I saw the neon lights
At a corner bar and it just seemed right
So I pulled up
Not a soul around but the old barkeep
Down at the end lookin' half asleep
And he walked up and and said, "What'll it be?"
I said, "The good stuff"
He didn't reach around for the whiskey
He didn't pour me a beer
His blue eyes kinda went misty
He said, "You can't find that here"
"'Cause it's the first long kiss on a second date
Momma's all worried when you get home late
And droppin' the ring in the spagetti plate
'Cause your hands are shakin' so much
And it's the way that she looks with the rice in her hair
Eating burnt suppers the whole first year
And askin' for seconds to keep her from tearin' up
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."
He grabbed a carton of milk and he poured a glass
And I smiled and said, "I'll have some of that"
We sat there and talked as an hour passed
Like old friends
I saw a black and white picture and it caught my stare
It was a pretty girl with bouffant hair
He said, "That's my Bonnie
Taken 'bout a year after we were wed"
He said, "Spent five years in the bottle
When the cancer took her from me
But I've been sober three years now
'Cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey"
"Was the sight of her holdin our baby girl
The way she adored that string of pearls
I gave her the day that our youngest boy, Earl
Married his high school love
And it's a new t-shirt saying, "I'm a Grandpa"
Being right there as our time got small
And holding her hand when the good Lord called her up
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff"
He said, "When you get home, she'll start to cry
When she says 'I'm sorry', say, 'So am I'
And look into those eyes so deep in love
And drink it up, 'cause that's the good stuff
That's the good stuff"