In
days long gone by you tilled the soil and sand,
Got
a long row still to hoe on the land.
Well,
your grown kids and your grandkids and their babies ever yet,
You
old rascal, Dad, they will always care, and a son never forgets.
I
sailed to Treasure Island once with a rogue named Long Tall Jim.
We
plundered caves with Sawyer, gutted fish with old Huck Finn.
We
surveyed the West with Lewis, canoed the C’lumbia with Clark.
We
hunted with Daniel and Davy and Captain Jack, who hid in the dark.
Well
the sun was always rising then and now it ever sets,
You
old rascal, Dad, you were always them, and a son never forgets.
You
drove us down the Topsy Grade to see what might be there,
Along
this rocky stagecoach road: wrecked cabins of pioneers.
When
you sailed us to Buck Island you found an arrowhead on the shore.
I
was so amazed, John Wayne himself could not have dazzled me more.
What
fate came to that arrowhead I can’t now recollect,
But
it’s fixed upon my memory ‘cuz a son never forgets.
One
day the fire came and some tough years burned away.
They
burned right through our souls, didn’t they?
But
you, ever the Fire Chief, stood tall to protect,
You
old rascal, Dad, you were always there, and your son never forgets.
Now
we’ll plot one last adventure asleep in our easy chairs.
Dream
of camp in cold October, track down the stealthy deer.
Young
brother Mike like Robin Hood will bend his trusty bow
And
launch an arrow into the cloudless sky to see where it goes.
Yes
the sun was always rising then and rises still I ‘spect,
You
old rascal, Dad, you were always there, and your sons never forget.
For Jim Paxton,
words and music by his son Ken
https://soundcloud.com/ken-paxton/a-son-never-forgets
