Story Behind The Song

I was unemployed and thinking maybe I could make a living off my music. I quickly realized the wife, 5 kids and I would in fact be living in a van down by the river as, economically speaking, that dog wouldn't hunt.

Song Description

Somewhat humorously, a guy ends up losing most of his possessions, possibly from his own doing, and finds himself living in a van down by the river. He carries on with a plucky optimism in spite of his circumstances.

Lyrics

I'm not a loser, but I lost my job, lost my oldest t-shirt, and my daddy's watch and fob
Lost my Christmas gift card, to Best Buy, lost almost everything, 'cept the 'bilty to cry
I lost that great big bottle, of Jack Black, maybe I didn't lose it, I found the empty out back
I suppose you could say, I lost my way a time or two, but I'm here now solely, to mo-ti-vate you

CHORUS
We're living in a van down by the river (yee ha), we're living in a van down by the river (whu hoo)
We're living in a van down by the river (oh yeah), we're living in a van down by the river (na na na)


I lost my comfy sofa, when the house got repossessed, when I lost my hearing aid, I thought I was blessed
I'm living on bad credit that they keep giving me, the dollar is my captor, but I'm strangely free
It's kinda nice not to have, a lotta stuff around, maybe getting lost is the best way to get found
I you might think I've lost my faith, at times it's true, but right now I'm here, to mo-ti-vate you

Repeat CHORUS

I lost my cell phone, but somehow I get by, I lost all my underwear, when the river got high
Lost lost the desire to find a job, but you know I still try, lost the TV show 'bout being lost, when the TV
went bye bye
I maybe you need a lesson, in how to persevere, the tougher the times buddy, the louder you cheer
My wife says pretty soon her and the five kids are gone, so I'm here to motivate you with this in-spiring
song
Repeat CHORUS harp over CHO chords

(Spoken) --- now you may be saying, "What's that na na na thing doing in there in the chorus?" well life and this song are about choices and living with the consequence of them and upon songwriting reflection I would probably agree about the na na na's being' out of place, but I kinda figured that to be true to myself I should have to live with my na na na choice as a little reminder about consequences following choices so imagine yourself in that van down by the riverand join in the chorus one last time
Repeat CHORUS