THE THINGS MY DADDY SAID [Intro — gentle acoustic guitar, warm Hammond organ] [Verse 1 — tender, deeply sincere] My daddy sat beside me And looked me in the eye He said, “Son, there’s things a man must know Before his time goes by.” “Never tell your wife How much money’s in your wallet And if you see a garden hose Don’t assume it’s for the garden.” “Always keep some napkins In the glovebox of your van And never trust a printer If the ink don’t come with it, son.” [Chorus — soaring, heartfelt, full band] Oh, the things my daddy told me On those long and lonely nights Every word a little lantern Every lesson burning bright And when the road gets dark before me And I don’t know what’s ahead I close my eyes and listen To the things my daddy said [Verse 2 — warm, nostalgic storytelling] We were driving through the country When the summer sun was low He said, “Son, there’s something important That I think you ought to know.” “If a man offers you a sandwich Ask him where he got the bread And before you change a light bulb Check for spiders overhead.” “Never leave your windows open When the rain begins to fall And if you’re buying folding chairs Make sure they’ll hold you all.” [Chorus — full band, rising emotion] Oh, the things my daddy told me On those long and lonely nights Every word a little lantern Every lesson burning bright And when the road gets dark before me And I don’t know what’s ahead I close my eyes and listen To the things my daddy said [Bridge — music drops to a single acoustic guitar, singer nearly breaking down] And on the night he left us I was sitting by his bed He reached out for my fingers And this is what he said “Son, I haven’t got much longer And there’s something you should know Don’t ever buy a refrigerator If you haven’t measured where it’ll go.” “And don’t forget your passwords Or you’ll have to reset them later.” [Pause — complete silence] [Emotional slide guitar solo — brief but absolutely monumental] [Final Chorus — triumphant, gospel backing harmonies] Oh, the things my daddy told me On those long and lonely nights Every word a little lantern Every lesson burning bright And when the road gets dark before me And I don’t know what’s ahead I close my eyes and listen To the things my daddy said [Outro — soft acoustic guitar, intimate whisper] And I can hear him even now As the evening shadows fall “Son, garbage is on Tuesday… And recycling’s every other week.” [Long, beautiful guitar sustain] “That’s the most important thing of all.” [Fade out]
