My father was a private man
Who seldom spoke to me at all
He ruled his house with an iron hand
Still he'd catch me if I'd fall

My mama's somewhere in my memory
Why she left I never knew
Sometimes I'd see her in daddy's eyes
Then he'd shed a tear or two

For eighteen years I had to live his ways
I stood man to man that day
He said out the door and you're on your own
But take this with you on your way

Chorus:
Don't throw wood on a dying fire
Unless you want that fire to
Burn burn again
Tend the embers or spread the ashes
But see it through till the end

In one ear and I was down the road
The years passed by in nothin' flat
Now I'm starin' at that same heavy load
My daddy carried on his back

The only woman that I've ever held
I'm havin' trouble holdin' now
She wants to know can we work this out
I know we would if we knew how

(Chorus)

A tear or two and I remembered
The pained expression on his face
Then I thought of what my daddy said
And how it must have hurt to say

(Chorus)