Sins Of My Father

Filled out my draft card for Vietnam

We were bred to fight the Vietcong

Nixon took a second term

Had nothing left to hope

Second youngest of eight kids

Raised Roman Catholic, repent for our sins

Dad loved my sister just a little too much

The courts took us away from our leased pile of dirt

Home is just an empty husk full of dreams that never were

Well, you can’t choose your family, they sure as hell can make you hurt

It’s hard to want what you never had a goddamn thing to lose

I’ve done the best I can, worked with these hands

I’m proud to say I’m all-American

As a teenager I learned a trade

They forced a hammer in my hand

I drove nails in boards, learned what hard work was for

Earned my meal and a roof over my bed

Had a kid of my own at 32

Got married, fixed up a fixer-upper

My eyes wandered to the women, made a mistake or two

Son, a little separation will be good for you

You're gonna learn to bleed red, white, and blue

Home is just an empty husk full of dreams that never were

Well, you can’t choose your family, they sure as hell can make you hurt

It’s hard to want what you never had a goddamn thing to lose

I’ve done the best I can, worked with these hands

I’m proud to say I’m all-American

Ooh, I’m working on changing, sins of my father

I’ve done the best I can, worked with these hands, I’m proud to say I’m all-American

I’m proud to say

© 2022 Jason Erie