The Old Man

I heard this song only once in the mid 90’s on the Rosie O’Donnell show, but it stuck with me.
I’m not a fan of this rendition by George Donaldson, but it was all I could find. The one I heard was very Irishy, which I think was mostly why I liked it – accentuating the words “Aye, neeeehhver whhil farghet him” – “an he showed mi thengs. khnot known ta kings. an seehcret batween him an ayyyye” in particular still play in my head.

The tears have all been shed now
We’ve said our last goodbyes
His souls been blessed
He’s laid to rest
Andit’s now I feel alone
He was moer than just a father
A teacher my best friend
He can still be heard
In the tunes we shared
When we play them on our own

(chorus)
I never will forget him
For he made me “what I am”
Though he may be gone
Memories linger on
And I miss him, the old man

As a boy he’d take me walking
By mountain field and stream
And he showed me things
Not known to kings
And secret between him and me
Like the colours of the pheasant
As he rises in the dawn
And how to fish and make a wish
Beside the holly tree

I thought he’d live forever
He seemed so big and strong
But the minutes fly
And the years roll by
For a father and a son
And suddenly when it happened
There was so much left unsaid
No second chance
To tell him thanks
For everything he’s done