Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their 
frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a 
prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all 
his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have 
Told him in the living 
years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted 
conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't 
see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this 
present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

* 
Say it loud, 
Say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too 
late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a 
quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the 
future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So don't yield to the 
fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a 
different day
And if you don't give up, 
Snd don't give in
You may just 
be O.K.

[Repeat *]

I wasn't there that morning
When my father 
passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I 
think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his 
echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have 
Told him in 
the living years

[Repeat *]