[Instrumental Intro: warm acoustic guitar, soft piano and gentle pedal steel, 4 bars] [Verse 1] I stood there in a rented suit, Trying hard to hide my nerves. I’d just promised her forever, Hoping I could live those words. Her daddy walked across the room, Wrapped his arms around me, smiled— “Welcome to the family, son.” I’ve carried that a while. [Chorus] He gave me his daughter, But he gave me so much more— A chair around his table, An always-open door. He showed me how a good man lives Without telling me what to be. I thought he gave me his daughter… I didn’t know he’d be A father to me. [Verse 2] When life got bigger than my answers, I’d find my way to him. He had a way of saying little That could settle everything. One day I grinned and asked him, “Am I your favorite son-in-law?” He smiled and said, “Absolutely.” Lord, how we laughed. [Verse 3] Near the end he couldn’t leave that bed, There wasn’t much to say. I saw his nails had gotten long, So I walked to town that day. Bought the best pair of clippers That little drugstore had, Then sat down there beside his feet And took care of her dad. [Bridge] We were gathered there around him When his breathing finally slowed. I thought about our wedding day As he quietly let go. “Welcome to the family, son”— Those words came back to me. And I wondered if his Father said When he opened up his eyes… [Final Chorus] “Welcome home, My son, Your race down there is through. You loved the ones I gave you, And they knew you loved them too.” He showed me how a good man lives By the life he let me see. He gave me his daughter… And somehow God gave me A father too. [Outro] All those years I tried so hard To never let him down. Funny… I’m still trying. And I hope somehow He knows.
