My alarm goes off early, can't afford to be late If I don't get a move on then I won't get paid So I throw back those covers and get my butt up outta bed It's still dark when I'm leavin' so I let my lady sleep I know her and them babies are a countin' on me To put food on the table, keep this roof over our head Yeah, and that's why I get crackin' in the mornin' Fight all that traffic out on I-40 Punch a clock at a job for a boss that I don't like Yeah, that's why I keep swinging that hammer Fight for each step that I take on that ladder Break my back for a slice of that American pie Yeah, that's why Well, I wear a hard hat, steel toed boots and leather gloves And my office is the front seat of a four door truck Decorated with crayon drawn pictures all taped to the dash And our Junior Pro football starts here in July There'll be shoulder pads, jerseys and new cleats to buy My wife's had her eye on some earrings That I'd sure like her to have, yeah, I would Yeah, and that's why I get crackin' in the mornin' Fight all that traffic out on I-40 Punch a clock at a job for a boss that I don't like Yeah, that's why I keep swinging that hammer Fight for each step that I take on that ladder Break my back for a slice of that American pie Yeah, that's why They want cell phones, laptops, ballet shoes and dresses X-box, iPods, and rock 'n' roll drum lessons But that's why I get crackin' in the mornin' Fight all that traffic out on I-40 Punch a clock at a job for a boss that I don't like Yeah, that's why I keep swinging this hammer Fight for each step that I take on this ladder Break my back for a slice of that American pie Yeah, that's why (That's why) Yeah, that's why