My Daddy Said

Henry Stewart & Michelle Rosenblum

Hopped a steam boat to the harbor
Jumped a ship with Hong Kong flags
Work my way over yonder
Swabbing decks and hauling swag

There ain’t nothing like a typhoon
Keep your head up late
Any minute you might go down
You want to go down clean and straight

Left a note back at the boat house
Said please don’t bother me
Where I’m going I can’t be found
Time to set me free

Just like my daddy said
If you do someone wrong, do it right
Last time I saw his face
He was prone in the pale room light

Don’t know why I’m running from
Those voices in the past
Every time I change my name
Kind of hope it will be the last

Sliding clean into the ragged berth
Somewhere past the hinterland
Still scraping this dark earth
For a trace of your warm hand

Just like my daddy said
Do somebody wrong, do it right
Last time I saw his waxen face
He was prone in the pale room light