[Intro | spoken word over solo piano | pedal steel far back] I chose him... And he chose me... That was the whole thing. [Verse 1 | piano and pedal steel | low restrained vocal] You were six months old that day I chose you before you could walk Sometime later, you called me "Dad" When you could barely talk I'd come home in uniform, you'd light up Didn't matter where we'd been You'd climb into my lap and fall asleep And I was home again [Verse 2 | warm and unhurried | bass and brushed drums ease in] We never had a permanent address Just boxes and goodbyes But you never once complained to me You just smiled with those eyes Every base, every bunk, every borrowed bed You made it home for me A six-year-old with a soldier's heart Teaching me how to be [Chorus | full band swells | stacked high harmonies] I chose you and you chose me That was all we ever needed No blood could make it realer than The way we both believed it I chose you and you chose me Twenty-eight years we proved it From the day you said my name To the man you became [Verse 3 | band pulls back | vocal low and even] Thirteen came and I got lost I stopped coming around I told myself you didn't need me So I got the hell out of town Ten years gone and I can't get them back You grew up without me there But you let me in when I came back around That took more grace than fair [Chorus | full band | stacked harmonies | organ swelling] I chose you and you chose me That was always the truth And every day I've still got left I'm living it for you I chose you and you chose me And now you've got a little girl She's the reason I'll keep going She deserves to see the world [Bridge | stripped to piano and pedal steel | vocal near spoken] I thought we had more time to talk More birthdays on the way I thought I'd get another chance To show up and to stay Twenty-eight is too damn young You had a little girl She's got your eyes, I see them every time I'm gonna show her the world [Bridge 2 | organ and harmonies build gently] I'm gonna tell her about you Every story I can find About the boy who chose a soldier And made him come alive [Breakdown | drums drop out | piano and single guitar | vocal near spoken at the floor] I was gonna teach you how to change a tire I was gonna tell you I was sorry I thought we had so much more time I thought we had so much more time If your daughter asks where you went I'll tell her you're watching I'll tell her you're proud of her I'll tell her she means everything [Final Chorus | full band returns, warm not big | harmony stack soft] I chose you And you chose me That was the whole thing That was always the whole thing I'd choose you a thousand times Twenty-eight years wasn't enough But I've got her now The way you deserved [Outro | spoken word over solo piano | pedal steel underneath] You were six months old... Couldn't even sit up yet... And I was holding you, you grabbed my hand... And you looked at me and smiled... You had my heart right then... Like you already knew. [Outro 2 | soft harmonies join | piano] For you For her I'm gonna make sure she knows her dad Was the best first kid a man could've had [End | spoken word | music fading to a single piano note] I love you, buddy... I always will... Rest easy, kid. Watch over us... ok?
