They never set a place for me at the table
Left me standin' in the cold beside the door
But I taught myself to carry my own welcome
And I don't come knockin' anymore
No, I don't come knockin' anymore
I had to be twice as steady just to stand on level ground
Had to swallow what they handed me and never make a sound
They would save the back row for me, let me wait till they were through
But a man can keep his name clean when there's nothin' else to do
They never set a place for me at the table
Left me standin' in the cold beside the door
But I taught myself to carry my own welcome
And I don't come knockin' anymore
No, I don't come knockin' anymore
You can leave me off your guest list, you can lock your fancy gate
But you cannot touch the man in here, and you will not make me hate
I have always known my worth, even when you wouldn't show
So I built myself a table where the likes of me can go
Now I set a place for everybody at my table
Ain't a soul gonna freeze out in the cold beside my door
'Cause I know just how it feels to need a welcome
So nobody's gotta knock here anymore
No, nobody's gotta knock anymore
There's a place for you at my table
You don't have to knock anymore