"Watching the Grown-Ups" "Watching the Grown-Ups" [Verse 1] I'd sit on the step with my knees pulled in Watching the grown-ups, wondering where to begin Cigarette smoke curling past the porch light glow Their laughter had a language a kid don't know [Chorus] Watching the grown-ups, I thought they'd always stay Bigger than the world, bigger than the day I didn't know that someday I'd be standing in their shoes Watching the grown-ups, the way that children do [Verse 2] Whoever had me for the day, I kept a watchful eye Learned to read their every move, learned the reasons why 'Cause a babysitter's got a hotline straight to home And nobody wants get chewed up, so you minded on your own [Chorus 2] Watching the grown-ups, I thought they'd always stay Bigger than the world, bigger than the day I didn't know that someday I'd be standing in their shoes Watching the grown-ups, the way that children do [Verse 3] I didn't fit in with the grown-ups, not the way I always hoped Stood at the edge of their circle, learning how to cope But my sister's friend, so pretty, always kind to me I'd have handed her the world, if the world was free She'd ask to borrow records that my own sister never touched I'd hand 'em over gladly, never thinking much Anything at all she wanted, I was quick to give Just to see her smile my way — young love asks no price [Bridge] Now I catch my own reflection, leaning on a truck Same tired eyes, same stubborn luck Most of them are gone now, the porch light's gone dark Just me and the memory, and an empty yard [Final Chorus] Watching the grown-ups, they didn't always stay Bigger than the world, smaller every day Now I'm the one that some kid's looking up to Watching the grown-ups, the way that children do [Outro] (watching... watching...) A generation always turning, one more page Watching the grown-ups, 'til it's our turn to fade Wonder if she still has that record, or if that's gone too (watching... watching...) [End] Style string: male vocals, male baritone voice, deep chest voice, nostalgic slow country ballad, gentle fingerstyle acoustic guitar, warm upright bass, soft piano, subtle steel guitar, tape-warmth vintage production, minimal drums, no hi-hat tapping, emotional storytelling vocal, tender and reflective "Summers in the C10" [Verse 1] Summer break meant soccer in the yard, games out on the street Ordinary days all blurring into one long stretch of heat But some mornings brought that engine cough to life That old C10 was rough around the edge but she ran right [Chorus] Riding out past everything I knew Every driveway held a stranger, every stranger something new Just a kid along for the ride, wide-eyed on the seat Finding out the world was bigger than my street [Verse 2] We'd back down long dirt driveways, hook the heater off the bed Farmers, widows, young folks just starting out instead Everybody had a story if you gave 'em time to talk Mom's friend knew half the county on that water heater walk [Chorus 2] Riding out past everything I knew Every driveway held a stranger, every stranger something new Just a kid along for the ride, wide-eyed on the seat Finding out the world was bigger than my street [Bridge] That old truck is long gone now, and so is the man who drove Half the driveways we once knocked on, gone from the world we knew I'd give anything for one more ride, windows down, radio on Just to hear him talk about the folks along that road [Final Chorus] Riding out past everything I knew Didn't know back then how much that summer grew Just a kid along for the ride, wide-eyed on the seat Found out my whole world started on that street [Outro] (that old C10... still runs in my mind) Some summers stay with you long after they've gone Wish I could ride with him again, but he's already gone (that old C10... still runs in my mind) [End]
