Lyrics

On the day that my old man was born
He couldn't realize his world was torn
A Great Depression lay up 'round the bend
His dad worked all night just to make amends
Worked himself to the bone just to make amends

On the day that my old man turned three
He learned a bitter lesson of the honeybee
It was a wound he’d carry just like a stone
Looking for sweetness coming from the honeycomb
Looking for sweetness coming from the honeycomb

On the day my old man turned 16
He'd come to know that he was thought unclean
Had to drink is water from a different well
Some folks cursed his young bitter soul to hell
Some folks cursed his young bitter soul

And when I think of my old man
I know I failed to understand
Anything of his heavens or his hells
‘Cause me I was a rebel son
A wicked wit a wild tongue
It’d sure be nice if I could speak to him right now
Maybe work it out somehow

On the day my old man first held me
He had a nervous smile and a tear-stained cheek
Prayed to God that maybe he could make things right
Bring some sweetness here to this newborn life
Bring some sweetness here to this newborn life

Well I'm older now I think I understand
The bitterness that ate at my old man
Seems the wound he got was handed down to me
Got that same old lesson from the honeybee
Got that same old sting from the honeybee
Seems that my old man was a lot like me