Know the Difference

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[Intro — 4 bars, jangly acoustic and tremolo mandolin, stacked hum underneath (mmm)]

[Verse 1 — solo lead, hushed]
I was eight on Paw-Paw's porch when he said, "Now hush"
Showed his pocketknife, bone handle with a little rust
He held it out, and he said it low
The only rule a boy should know
He folded my fingers one by one
Said, "Now she's yours," and the deal was done

[Chorus — two-part harmony, low and close]
"Only open it when you got a reason
Close it up when the work is done
It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference
So you better know the difference, suuun"

[Verse 2 — solo lead, upright bass enters, mandolin plays, harmony on last line]
Cut baling twine and a snarled-up line
Cleaned a mess of brim in the summertime
Twenty years it rode in my jeans
Never drew it once on a man gone mean
And every time that blade clicked back
I heard the old man saaaayin'... that

[Chorus — three-part stacked harmony, kick stomp and brushed snare enter]
"Only open it when you got a reason (ooh)
Close it up when the work is done
It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference
So you better know the difference, suuun"

[Verse 3 — solo lead, harmonies drop out, stark, mandolin only]
My boy was seven at the fishin' hole
Hollered, "Daddy, watch me," reelin' slow
I was thumbin' at a screen I didn't need
Looked up in time to see the line go free
He wound it in, and he didn't cry
But he quit sayin' "watch" after that July

[Chorus — full stacked gang harmony, electric guitar swell, mandolin tremolo]
"Only open it when you got a reason (aah)
Close it up when the work is done
It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference (it don't know)
So you better know the difference, suuuun"

[Bridge — lead and mandolin, then stacked a cappella]
Paw-Paw never held a knife like this
Made of glass and light, but the rule still fits
[Stacked a cappella]
Some cuts don't bleed, and they don't leave a scar
You just look up one day and you see how far

[Verse 4 — band returns warm, soft harmony on last couplet]
Now he's twelve on the step where I used to sit
Got a phone in a box, and I'm holdin' it
I pull out the pocket knife, with a little more rust
Lay 'em side by side on the step between us
I lean down close and I say it low (ooh)
The old man's rule, and the part I know (part I know)

[Final Chorus — full band, big drums, twin guitars, children's choir joins backing trio, call and response]
"Only open it when you got a reason (you got a reason)
Close it up when the work is done (work is done)
It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference
So you better know the difference, son
And when somebody hollers, 'Watch me'..." [Solo child voice] (watch me)
"You look up, suuuuun" (look up, son)

[Outro — band drops away to lone clean guitar]
He thumbed that blade open, careful and slow
[Solo voice, soft] Said, "Daddy, watch me"...
[Solo, half-spoken] And I did
[Organ hum resolving] Mmmm

[outro]
[major chord]

2958/7500

[Intro — 4 bars, jangly acoustic and tremolo mandolin, stacked hum underneath (mmm)] [Verse 1 — solo lead, hushed] I was eight on Paw-Paw's porch when he said, "Now hush" Showed his pocketknife, bone handle with a little rust He held it out, and he said it low The only rule a boy should know He folded my fingers one by one Said, "Now she's yours," and the deal was done [Chorus — two-part harmony, low and close] "Only open it when you got a reason Close it up when the work is done It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference So you better know the difference, suuun" [Verse 2 — solo lead, upright bass enters, mandolin plays, harmony on last line] Cut baling twine and a snarled-up line Cleaned a mess of brim in the summertime Twenty years it rode in my jeans Never drew it once on a man gone mean And every time that blade clicked back I heard the old man saaaayin'... that [Chorus — three-part stacked harmony, kick stomp and brushed snare enter] "Only open it when you got a reason (ooh) Close it up when the work is done It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference So you better know the difference, suuun" [Verse 3 — solo lead, harmonies drop out, stark, mandolin only] My boy was seven at the fishin' hole Hollered, "Daddy, watch me," reelin' slow I was thumbin' at a screen I didn't need Looked up in time to see the line go free He wound it in, and he didn't cry But he quit sayin' "watch" after that July [Chorus — full stacked gang harmony, electric guitar swell, mandolin tremolo] "Only open it when you got a reason (aah) Close it up when the work is done It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference (it don't know) So you better know the difference, suuuun" [Bridge — lead and mandolin, then stacked a cappella] Paw-Paw never held a knife like this Made of glass and light, but the rule still fits [Stacked a cappella] Some cuts don't bleed, and they don't leave a scar You just look up one day and you see how far [Verse 4 — band returns warm, soft harmony on last couplet] Now he's twelve on the step where I used to sit Got a phone in a box, and I'm holdin' it I pull out the pocket knife, with a little more rust Lay 'em side by side on the step between us I lean down close and I say it low (ooh) The old man's rule, and the part I know (part I know) [Final Chorus — full band, big drums, twin guitars, children's choir joins backing trio, call and response] "Only open it when you got a reason (you got a reason) Close it up when the work is done (work is done) It'll cut what you tell it, it don't know the difference So you better know the difference, son And when somebody hollers, 'Watch me'..." [Solo child voice] (watch me) "You look up, suuuuun" (look up, son) [Outro — band drops away to lone clean guitar] He thumbed that blade open, careful and slow [Solo voice, soft] Said, "Daddy, watch me"... [Solo, half-spoken] And I did [Organ hum resolving] Mmmm [outro] [major chord]

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