Twenty Years Ago

I was at that smart ass time of my life Where id pick a fight just to pick a fight If he said black, I said white If he took one side I took the other side The dinner table we sat around Was more like a battleground And I lost more times than I won I would of learned later on That he was always preaching bout his past I just kept screaming" Come on, dad! That was twenty years ago You don't know me at all! Trying to talk to you is like talking to the wall Yeah, you gave me my life, but its my life to live Maybe I don't wanna live it like you did, Twenty years ago" He was built with blue collar sweat and blood Squared jaw and a crew cut A purple heart, a Viet Vet. He'd tell you every chance he'd get Always running down my rock n' roll, My friends, my hair, my clothes. But one night it got out of control And right there we came to blows And that was just enough to get me gone I couldn't wait to prove him wrong! Twenty years ago Struck out on my own Couldn't tell me nothing That I didn't already know Later I was on my way To what the hell did I care My old man and his gray hair Thought about the road I chose Twenty years ago "Well I left as fast as the leaves fell that autumn I never looked back and I never once called him But every time I talked to momma I wondered if he was there,or if he even cared I figured I walked out of him and the course of our love had run Momma said 'no,no, you listen to me son, hes a stubborn man and he won't give in. He believes what he believes, well you're just like him' Well I could tell by her voice there was something wrong She broke down, and said he ain't got long So I caught the next plane home, Thought about all the years gone Had my pride that I let so much time go by I ran up those stairs and stood by his bed And I cried" Twenty years ago Thought I knew it all But trying to talk to me Was like talking to a wall I thought I was a man Acting like I did But all I want right now Is just to be your kid Just before my dad gave up the ghost He took my hand and said "son let it go, that was twenty years ago" Twenty years ago