With your memory swimming 'round my head Though Daddy you're dead and gone I'll sing you this song Of all I should have said "Let me tell you, Jonny That you ain't worth nothing without money And all the time you've been away First turned to months and now years You oughta by now have some kinda career" Oh but Father, gladly Dear Daddy I'll Stay far away from you How can I grow up tall Don't mean to be cruel When you always make me feel But Daddy I'm more than a fool Inches small? I was no more than a baby When you told me, "stop that cryin' It's making me angry And one day, well just maybe When you grow up you'll learn to shut up And fake a smile like your dad Whenever you are sad" But Father, sadly Dear Daddy I'll stay far away from you No it's not true Don't mean to be cruel Because you see this son's love No, Dear Daddy Has always surrounded you When the whole world seemed so unkind When the words in the storybook no longer rhymed And when the sun would refuse to shine I'd run and hide in that secret place in my mind Wipe the tears off my face And there I'd find that for a moment
But for a moment The shadow of your presence seemed to lift and fade away When the whole world seemed so unkind Father didn't you notice the rat race? Were you never aware that the fear was written all over your face? I guess you never knew your story was a blank page But most of all dear Daddy Did you ever notice me? Oh Father I never meant to be cruel But farther And farther away I stayed from you Though I've always loved you I was the one to walk out that door But Father your heart departed Father your heart departed Long, long before Oh Father didn't you notice the rat race? Were you never aware that the fear was written all over your face? I guess you never knew your story was a blank page But most of all, dear Daddy Yes most of all, dear Daddy Did you ever notice me? So I'll hold to the happier times The endless summer days at the beach As you lifted me over the waves and held me so high It was then that I could believe I believed I could fly high! Safe with my dad by my side Wish you could know me now We'd be great friends