Before the Great War

You were born before the Great War
Born again when you were two
Ah, you stood strong though you were wrong
Couldnt break but you broke through
Your daddy was a singer
But he never sang to you
Ah, he lashed out
Yeah, he cashed out
And he left your mama, too
He was gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new
He was gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new

Your mother had a good heart
Did the best that she could do
She let your hair down when no one was around
She was lost, she was hurting, too
You kept secrets for a living
You kept quiet to stay alive
You told stories, shrewd stories
Every ending ended right
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new

You stood fast through the roaring twenties
You stood still in 29
You found a good man, found a very good man
He was gruff but he towed the line
You built a home
You yield a family like the one you never knew
You made children
You gave children all the love your daddy stole from you
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new
You were gonna be somebody, be somebody, be somebody new