Raised on Dust and Days Gone By (My vocals)

[Intro - sung without music] Raised on dust and days gone by, Vinyl songs and a wide-open sky.... [Verse 1] Barefoot summers, gravel roads, Hidin’ out where the creek wind blows, Baseball games till the sun dipped low, Didn’t need much, didn’t need to know. AM radio in a pickup truck, Singin’ along, just my kind of luck, Life was simple, wild, and free-- That’s how it was in the ‘70s. [Chorus] Raised on dust and days gone by, Vinyl songs and a wide-open sky, From hand-me-downs to hand-held screens, Livin’ through a thousand scenes, Every mile left its mark on me, Like roots run deep in an old oak tree, Still that boy chasin’ fireflies, Just older now… with weathered eyes. [Verse 2] Turned sixteen with a secondhand Ford, Worked all week just to pay for more, Friday nights under neon signs, Cheap beer buzz and borrowed time. First heartbreak cut like a knife, Learned real quick ‘bout love and life, Thought forever was just down the line-- Didn’t know then what I know in time. [Chorus] Raised on dust and days gone by, Vinyl songs and a wide-open sky, From hand-me-downs to hand-held screens, Livin’ through a thousand scenes, Every mile left its mark on me, Like roots run deep in an old oak tree, Still that boy chasin’ fireflies, Just older now… with weathered eyes. [Verse 3] Settled down, found steady ground, Heard a baby’s heartbeat sound, Worked long hours, sweat and steel, Learned what it means to love for real. Life sped up but we held on tight, Kitchen table under yellow light, Dreams got bigger, time got thin, Just tryin’ to be who I should’ve been. [Verse 4] New century came in a rush of change, Whole world felt a little estranged, Held my family closer than before, Didn’t take nothin’ for granted anymore. From payphones gone to cellphones bright, Days got longer, shorter nights, Tryin’ to keep up, tryin’ to stay strong, Blink once… and the years are gone. [Bridge] Now I see my daddy in my face, Time don’t slow, it don’t wait, Every scar, every line I bear, Is just proof that I was there. [Verse 5] Grandkids laughin’ in the yard, Reminds me life ain’t all that hard, Different world than the one I knew, But hearts still break the same way too. If I could talk to that boy back then, I’d say, “Slow down, soak it in,” ‘Cause every second’s gone too fast-- Next thing you know, it’s in the past. [Final Chorus] Raised on dust and days gone by, Vinyl songs and a wide-open sky, From front porch nights to glowing screens, We’re all just livin’ in-between, Every mile left its mark on me, Like roots run deep in an old oak tree, Still that boy chasin’ fireflies, Just older now… with a lifetime in my eyes.