[Verse 1] They called him Twelve in Texas From a house split down the middle Mama packed one suitcase Daddy walked away the riddle He learned to keep on moving With a chip and busted boots Swore he'd make his own kind Out of broken, hard old roots [Verse 2] He wore the eagle on his shoulders Marine green and desert dust Left home with a hard jaw And a heart he learned to trust Then he built a little kingdom White fence, porch, and Mrs. Grace And a boy with his same brown eyes Running wild across the place [Pre-Chorus] Then that boy took flight In a jet above the fire Twelve stood tall and prayed hard While the sky went higher [Chorus] Twelve, Twelve in Texas Hold me up tonight When the road turns black And the grief gets bright Twelve, Twelve in Texas God, I need Your hand I was barely standing Now I still can stand [Verse 3] That war came home in silence In a folded flag and tears Then his marriage went to pieces After all those heavy years And before he could stop hurting Before he could ask why His old man laid down forever With that same ache in his eyes [Pre-Chorus] He hit his knees in shambles On a floor he couldn't stand Said, "Lord, if You still want me Take this heart and hold my hand" [Chorus] Twelve, Twelve in Texas Hold me up tonight When the road turns black And the grief gets bright Twelve, Twelve in Texas God, I need Your hand I was barely standing Now I still can stand [Bridge] Then a woman at the church door With a Sunday dress and smile Said, "I know about the losing I've been living with it awhile" She brought him coffee, laughter And a little room to breathe Now he don't sleep alone at midnight Now he believes [Final Chorus] Twelve, Twelve in Texas Hold me up tonight When the road turns black And the grief gets bright Twelve, Twelve in Texas God, I need Your hand I was barely standing Now I still can stand Twelve, Twelve in Texas Love walked in again He was buried in the sorrow Now he's living in the wind
