SINCE I WAS THE AGE OF SEVEN   I STARRED AT HIS FACE
WONDERIN’ WHY HE LEFT HIS FAMILY IN SUCH AN AWFUL PLACE
HE COUNDN’T HAVE LOVED MY MAMA OR ME A BIT
SO I SET MY SIGHTS TO FIND HIM   LEST I FORGET THE LONELY NIGHTS
LISTENIN’ FOR A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
ALL THOSE NIGHTS THEY CAME AND WENT WITH NEVER A WORD
NEVER A WORD   NEVER A WORD

WITH YOU GONE YOU KNOW I BECAME A MAN FAR BEFORE MY TIME
NEVER HAD NO SCHOOLIN’   ALWAYS OUT TRYIN’ TO MAKE A DIME
DADDY YOU KNOW THIS WORLD’S AN AWFUL HARD PLACE ON A BOY
WORKIN’ FROM DAWN TILL SUNDOWN
THEN TO GO HOME TO THOSE LONELY NIGHTS
LISTENIN’ FOR THAT KNOCK ON THE DOOR
ALL THOSE MONTHS THWY CAME AND WENT WITH NEVER A WORD

 

OH DADDY   YOU LEFT US DOWN HERE A CRYIN’
WITHOUT A HAND TO GUIDE US ALONG
OH DADDY   I CAN STILL HEAR MY POOR MOTHER CRYIN’
WHILE ALL THOSE FACELESS MEN PASSED THROUGH HER DOOR

EVEN LONG AFTER YOU’D BEEN GONE FOR A WHILE
MAMA STILL MADE EXCUSES
AND HER EYES LIT UP WHEN SHE TALKED OF YOUR SMILE
DADDY SHE WORKED SO HARD TRYIN’ TO MAKE US KIDS A HOME
NOW YOU’RE GONNA PAY WITH YOUR LIFE
FOR ALL THOSE LONELY NIGHTS
WAITIN’ FOR THAT KNOCK ON THE DOOR
ALL THOSE YEARS THEY CAME AND WENT WITH NEVER A WORD

OH DADDY   YOU LEFT US DOWN HERE A CRYIN’
WITHOUT A HAND TO GUIDE US ALONG
OH DADDY   NOW YOU’RE ON THE GROUND THERE A-DYIN’
NOW YOU AND MAMA YOU CAN BE JUST LIKE BEFORE
OH DADDY I CAN STILL HEAR YOUR LIES AND FABLES
THEY’VE BEEN AROUND   LIKE THE WOLF RIGHT AT THE DOOR