Bill Thompson

Lyrics

My wandering eye
and traveling heart.
Sideways glances
doing their part.
Never satisfied
wanting more.
More than once
being shown the door.

But I met someone,
thought I was done.
Told her she was my last,
my only one.
We found a little place,
made it ours for awhile.
With my old habits
hiding behind guilt
and a smile.

Until comfort set in
like dust on the shelf.
Started lookin’ for reasons
that weren’t about myself.
Funny how lonely can feel
when it’s easy and calm.
That’s when I lit the match,
then blamed it on the dark.

I said, “I’m just friendly,
don’t read into me”
But friendly don’t cross every boundary.

Now my clothes and gasoline.
Laid out back like a crime scene..
Denim dreams and cotton lies
Soaked in everything I denied.

She didn’t scream
while she looked at me.
Just struck a match
and let me see.

You don’t play with fire
and walk away clean.
Now it’s my clothes and gasoline.

Started talkin’ too close,
laughin’ a little too long.
Coffee shop smiles,
late nights gone wrong.
Coworkers, neighbors,
a “just one drink” lie.
Self-checkout flirtin’,
starin’ at other lives.

I told myself it wasn’t cheatin’
if she never knew.
I felt invisible
that was true.
Funny how I felt real bold,
felt free.
While she was at home
believin’ in me.

Had my cake, had my alibi.
Had a foot on the brake
and a hand on a lie.

Now my clothes and gasoline.
Laid out back
like a crime scene.
Flannel shirts
and second chances
Burnin’ with my bad decisions.

She didn’t cry,
didn’t chase my scene.
Just struck a match
and let me be.
You don’t play with fire
and walk away clean.
Now it’s my clothes and gasoline.

I came home late,
felt the air go cold.
No pictures on the wall,
no place to call home.

Her friend saw me out,
said my name too loud.
I tried sayin’ “work thing,”
but the truth don’t bow.

Saw my life in a backyard glow.
Every lie I told her finally showed.

My clothes and gasoline.
Years of trust in burning jeans.
Every promise I didn’t mean.
Cracklin’ in that midnight breeze.


Yeah, my clothes and gasoline.
Laid out back
where love used to be.
Ashes fall
where excuses end.
That fire told the truth I didn’t see.
She didn’t look back,
didn’t say a thing.
Just struck a match
and closed the gate on me.
You don’t play with fire
and walk away clean.
Now it’s my clothes and gasoline.


Guess I finally learned what faith costs.
When it’s soaked in gasoline and lost.
© 2026 Words and Music by William Fred Thompson