Twenty Years Ago

i was at that smartass time of my life

where id pick a fight just to pick a fight

if he said black, i said white

if he took one side i took the other side

the dinner table we sat around

was more like a battleground

and i lost more times than i won

i woulda learned later on

that he was always preachin bout his past

i just kept screamin" Come on, dad!

That was twenty years ago

you dont know me at all!

tryin to talk to you is like talkin to the wall

yeah, you gave me my life, but its my life to live

maybe i dont wanna live it like you did, Twenty years ago"

he was built with blue collar sweat and blood

squared jaw and a crew cut

a purple heart, a Viet Vet.

He'd tell you every chance he'd get

Always runnin down my rock n' roll,

my friends, my hair, my clothes.

But one night it got out of control

and right there we came to blows

and that was just enough to get me gone

I couldn't wait to prove him wrong!

twenty years ago

Struck out on my own

couldn't tell me nothin

That i didnt already know

later i was on my way

to what the hell did i care

my old man and his grey hair

thought about the road i chose

twenty years ago

"Well i left as fast as the leaves fell that autumn

I never looked back and i never once called him

but every time i talked to momma

i wondered if he was there,or if he even cared

i figured i walked out of him and the course of our love had run

momma said 'no,no, you listen to me son, hes a stubborn man and he won't give in.

he believes what he believes, well youre just like him'

well i could tell by her voice there was something wrong

she broke down, and said he aint got long

so i caught the next plane home,

thought about all the years gone

had my pride that i let so much time go by

i ran up those stairs and stood by his bed

and i cried"

Twenty years ago

thought i knew it all

but tryin to talk to me

was like talkin to a wall

i thought i was a man

actin like i did

but all i want right now

is just to be your kid

just before my dad gave up the ghost

he took my hand and said "son let it go, that was twenty years ago"

twenty years ago