A Friend Like Paul

Title: “A Friend Like Paul” [Verse 1] He was slingin’ papers down our road Summer sun on his face Stayed too long ‘til the daylight died Mama’d come drag him away He’d just grin, shrug his shoulders Never let the world get him down That smile said everything Best heart in this town [Chorus] He was more than a friend to me He was family, through and through Kind to everyone he ever met Didn’t matter who you were or knew Yeah, heaven gained a gentle soul One of the best I ever saw And I’ll miss him every day I’m here ‘Cause I had a friend like Paul [Verse 2] Sixteen years and a set of keys Dark green MG shine Two-seat car but we squeezed in four Lord, we had the time of our lives Cruisin’ slow down Squiggly Road Laughin’ like we owned it all We’d blow smoke in his Afro When he wasn’t lookin’ at all [Chorus] He was more than a friend to me He was family, through and through Kind to everyone he ever met Didn’t matter who you were or knew Yeah, heaven gained a gentle soul One of the best I ever saw And I’ll miss him every day I’m here ‘Cause I had a friend like Paul [Verse 3] We’d sit around and sing Alabama “Feels So Right” ‘til the stars came out Smoking Marlboros, drinking beers Every word we’d sing ‘em loud Didn’t matter where you came from Didn’t matter the road you were on Paul made you feel like you belonged From the first hello to dawn [Bridge (soft, harmonies)] Some folks come and go too fast Some stay forever in your heart If love’s the measure of a life Paul’s been heaven-bound from the start [Chorus (full harmony lift)] He was more than a friend to me He was family, through and through Kind to everyone he ever met Didn’t matter who you were or knew Yeah, heaven gained a gentle soul One of the best I ever saw And I’ll miss him every day I’m here ‘Cause I had a friend like Paul [Tag / Outro] So I’ll sing those songs and think of him Every time I hear that drawl Heaven gained an angel with a smile And I lost a friend… Yeah, a brother named Paul