You were born before the Great War Born again when you were two Ah, you stood strong though you were wrong Couldn't 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