My father spent the last 15 years of his life living in South Africa, and I only got to visit him there once, with my son, in 1988. He was always asking me when we would visit again, and I always said I couldn't afford the fare. Ironic then, that when he died in 1992, I scraped together the air fare to go to his funeral.
In the 20 years since his passing I have tried many times to put my feelings into a lyric, but there always seemed to be too much to say...too many jumbled emotions. Then, a week or so back, John sent me a melody, and the beginnings of a lyric, and finally I realised that what I wanted to say was really very simple.
So here it is....no clever rhymes...no fancy imagery....just an unashamedly simple and sentimental song. I want to thank John for sharing this gift with me...and with you all. He sings it with deep sincerity and love....it is, after all, a song about his daddy too! :)
For Daddy
There's nothing I can do to bring you back
And there's nothing I can say to rearrange the facts
There's nothing I could wish for 'cept to have more time with you
But there's nothing that can make that wish come true
there were times I wish I could forget
but nothing good has ever come from dwelling on regrets
If I could have those days again... I'd make certain that you knew
There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you
But it's alright ~ cause I can hear you say
you only have to call ~ I'm never far away
Everything you told me still holds true
And everything I am today, I am because of you
I would give most anything to hear you say to me
"you're everything I wanted you to be"
Copyright (c) 2012 DRulliere/J Kenney