Made in the USA (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)
While I was sitting on the courthouse wall writing music, a man stopped by (Chris) and asked if I could write a song about him “having a job and wishing he was at the shore, instead.” Since my son and I were also trying to plan a trip to the beach, I combined the ideas.
Intro
F D
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were
D F
Old man look at my life
C G
Twenty four and there's so much more
D F
Live alone in a paradise
C F
That makes me think of two
D F
Love lost, such a cost,
C G
Give me things that don't get lost.
D C
Like a coin that won't get tossed
F G
Rollin' home to you.
D Am7 Em7 G
Old man take a look at my life I'm a lot like you
D Am7 Em7 G
I need someone to love me the whole day through
D Am7 Em7
Oh, one look in my eyes and you can tell that's true.
D F C G D F C F
Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn't mean that much to me
To mean that much to you
I've been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I'm all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were
Verse:
E G
My child arrived just the other day,
A E
He came to the world in the usual way
E G
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay,
A E
He learned to walk while I was away
D A/C# Bm A
And he was talking 'for I knew it, and as he grew
G Bm E G Bm E
He said "I'm gonna be like you, dad, you know I'm gonna be like you"
Chorus:
E D
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
G A
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
E D
"When you commin' home dad?" "I don't know when,
G Bm E G Bm E
But we'll get together then, You know we'll have a good time then"
Verse 2
E G
My son turned ten just the other day
A E
He said "Thanks for the ball dad, come on let's play
E G
Can you teach me to throw"
A E
I said "Not today I got a lot to do" He said "Thats OK"
D A/C# Bm A
He walked away but his smile never dimmed,
G Bm E G Bm E
It said I'm gonna be like him, yeah, You know I'm gonna be like him
Verse 3
E G
Well he came from college just the other day
A E
So much like a man I just had to say
E G
"Son I'm proud of you can you sit for a while?"
A E
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
D A/C# Bm A
"What I'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys,
G Bm E
See you later can I have them please?"
Verse 4
E G
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
A E
I called him up just the other day
E G
I said "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
A E
He said "I'd love to dad if I could find the time,
D A/C# Bm A
You see the my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
G Bm E G Bm E
But it's sure nice talkin' to you dad... It's sure nice talkin' to you"
D A/C# Bm A
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
G Bm E G Bm E
He'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me
Last Chorus
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you commin' home son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad,
We're gonna have a good time then"
LYRICS
Are you scared of what’s lurking under your bed
Are you frightened of what goes “thump” in the night
Does imagination run (wild) through your head
Giving you some mystical insight
Knowing how to tame anarchy
It’s under control
No, you’re not the same ‘ole monkey
It’s wonder mental
Never scared of what’s lurking in my head
Never frightened of the hammer of the might
No aggravation… frustration of how it’s said
Giving me some magical insight
LYRICS
All the days under the sun
Like father, like son
All the ways our mission won
Like father, like son
A chip off the ‘ole block
Contribution to the genetic clock
A chip off the ‘ole block
Reign’s end drawing near… tick-tock
Chorus
Standing up for freedom
Bringing sum enlightenment to some
Fighting for the good fight
Giving proof through the night
Are you aware? Our flag’s still there
Chorus
Hey diddle diddle the cat and the fiddle
Little Boy Blue and the Man In The Moon
Boy to man then to dust too soon
When you coming home Dad (Son)? “I don’t know when…
You know we’ll get together then.”
ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — A slide to 4th fret, slide to 5th fret
A D A E A
Influenced by The Star Spangled Banner and The Cats In The Cradle
Made in the USA (The Liberty Bell, Philadelphia; Blue Bell and Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County; West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)
Songwriting While Shooting Pool in Plymouth Meeting
LYRICS
Rack ’em. Break ’em.
Let the balls roll
Whack ’em. Crack ’em.
Let the deal dole
No longer behind the eight ball any more
Check out all the angles to explore
Eyes popping from their sockets
Watching balls rolling into pockets
Chorus
There is so little to do with luck
Whether you bet the farm or just a buck
It’s more a matter to see geometry
Whether a straight shooter is what you’ll be
Chorus
Strike with just the right English
Weave yourself into the fabric’s mesh
Some happen to call it The Zen
As it happens to you, you’ll know when
LYRICS
I bet you’ve got a story you thought I’ve never heard
I bet you’ve got a story considered beyond absurd
So, climb aboard and ride the bandwagon with me
So, climb aboard and swing from a star
It’s easy to be beyond bizarre
You say the picture of Earth is hanging crooked
You say the politicians are all f#&%ed
Well, today’s the day we rectify
Today’s the day the try is the dye
Break the mold and cast the I
LYRICS
Chorus
Today it rained then it poured
Today it reigned then it poored
It poured and poored some more
Well, if you’re riding the gravy train
And, you start to realize the gravy’s lumpy
Ya might just drive yourself insane
If ya don’t fertilize for the hungry
Chorus
Well, if you’re living and living without givin’
And, you start to appreciate “this is heaven!”
You might add spirit to your brain
Who knows? Ya might get to live again
LYRICS
There’s something different in the way you think
There’s something different in the way you see
I think with the universe you sync
I see in our time it will be
Chorus
If you want, you can have it
(But) Do you need… ’cause when you bleed it
We concede it… we’re conceited
There’s something different in the way you go
There’s something different in the way you move
The way you go with the flow
In the pocket… in the groove
Chorus
ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — F FM7
Am C
Made in the USA (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)
LYRICS
What do you do with all your day
Do you get to work as if to play
Is being productive seductive
In some sort-of way
When you’re through
Do you love your nighttime, too
What do you do along your way
By any chance do you get to say
“Amazing! Elusive? Inclusive?”
For what do you pray
When dues are due
Will we still be tight, too