Twenty Years Ago

I was at that smart ass time of my life
Where I'd 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,'t learned later on

That he was always preaching about his past
I just kept screaming, Come on, dad

That was twenty years ago, you don't know me at all
You trying to talk to you is like talking to the wall
Yeah, you gave me my life, but it's 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 and 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, 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 mama
I wondered if he was there, or if he even cared

I figured I walked out on him and the course of our love had run
Momma said, no, no, you listen to me, son
He's a stubborn man and he won't give in
He believes what he believes and you're just like him

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 I 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