Father's Song Lyrics - Singles - Small Fred

I remember the man 

Rising early in the morning 

Smelling of starch and aftershave 

Sometimes I would shave beside him 

With a plastic razor and a cardboard blade 

And watch his car disppear 

Into the morning gray. 

I remember the man 

Talking so long on the telephone 

His voice hard and polished like a precious stone 

In command of itself and the darkness 

He was not afraid in my hearing 

Though sometimes he would rage 

Without reason 

CHORUS: 

There's a man I hardly remember 

Who would hold me in his arms without flinching 

And tell me it's all right 

I put my hands out to my father 

Standing strong in the water 

When I could not swim 

I held on to him 

It was all right. 

I remember the man 

Shouting from the sidelines at my football games 

He'd razz opposing players by their names 

My mother would plead, Oh please calm down 

And he did when the game was over 

He was so proud 

Of his son. 

I remember the man 

Laid off last December 

That's not what they called it 

Twenty years with the firm 

Eased out in favor of a younger man 

Fear tugged at his voice 

But he had other plans. 

CHORUS 

I dreamed last night of my grandmother 

She was tall and I a child 

But death was hiding in her house 

In the dark I saw her 

A rotting shell 

And I cried out 

My father took my hand 

And led me from that awful place. 

Soon my parents will be old 

They will count their dreams and weight them 

One by one 

Two lives long together, a daughter and a son 

Many things accomplished, many left undone 

Some left behind 

For something better. 

And once before he dies 

I will hold him in my arms without flinching 

And tell him it's all right 

I put my hands out to my father 

Standing strong in the water 

When I could not swim 

I held on to him 

It was all right.