Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing,
Death kept followin´, trackin´ us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing.
Now somebody´s got to show their hand, time is an enemy,

I know you´re long gone,
I guess it must be up to me.

If I´d thought about it I never would´ve done it, I guess I would´ve let it slide,
If I´d lived my life by what others were thinkin´, the heart inside me would´ve died.
I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity,
Someone had to reach for the risin´ star,
I guess it was up to me.

Oh, the Union Central is pullin´ out and the orchids are in bloom,
I´ve only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume.
In fourteen months I´ve only smiled once and I didn´t do it consciously,

Somebody´s got to find your trail,
I guess it must be up to me.

It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch,
I´d just about convinced myself that nothin´ had changed that much.
The old Rounder in the iron mask slipped me the master key,
Somebody had to unlock your heart,
He said it was up to me.

Well, I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers´ club,
I would´ve followed you in the door but I didn´t have a ticket stub.
So I waited all night ´til the break of day, hopin´ one of us could get free,

When the dawn came over the river bridge,
I knew it was up to me.

Oh, the only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work.
Was I a fool or not to try to protect your identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend,
I thought it might be up to me.

Well, I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat,
She´s everything I need and love but I can´t be swayed by that.
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be,

But she ain´t a-gonna make me move,
I guess it must be up to me.

We heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex,
It didn´t amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects.
When you bite off more than you can chew you pay the penalty,
Somebody´s got to tell the tale,
I guess it must be up to me.

Well, Dupree came in pimpin´ tonight to the Thunderbird Cafe,
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way.
Well, I just can´t rest without you, love, I need your company,

But you ain´t a-gonna cross the line,
I guess it must be up to me.

There´s a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle,
She´s the one you been wond´rin´ about, but there´s really nothin´ much to tell.
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history,
Somebody´s got to cry some tears,
I guess it must be up to me.

So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime,
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don´t have all that much time.
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain´t my property,

One of us has got to hit the road,
I guess it must be up to me.

And if we never meet again, baby, remember me,
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody.
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free,
No one else could play that tune,
You know it was up to me.