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Sergeant Dad

from Late Night Drive by Markus Rill

/

lyrics

Sergeant Dad
(Markus Rill)

Joe Thompson was an Army man, Joe Thompson was my Dad
and he was about the hardest Sergeant anybody ever had
when he would come home at night, the uniform came off
but his tone would never change and his tone was never soft

I did my best to please him, yeah, but that was hard to do
I learned early on to fold my shirts and how to shine my shoes
his mood was often difficult, sometimes his mood was bad
Mama loved her G.I. Joe, I hated Sergeant Dad

He said I grew my hair too long, he did not like my style
did not believe in rock’n’roll or the changing of the times
he said “folks did what they had to do back in VietNam”
then he fulfilled his duties out there in the desert sand

I went AWOL to college and I learned to play guitar
he only got harder and he’d always been hard
don’t know why my Mama loved him or how he made her glad
I’d often wished I’d had a father but I knew only Sergeant Dad

The day that I turned 30, first time I saw my old man cry
Mom was in the hospital struggling hard to stay alive
standing by her bedside, he turned and took my hand
“I only wanted just the best for you, son, I hope you understand”

They’re bringing in the casket now and they draped it with a flag
loading up their rifles to shoot them for a man that’s dead
gestures meant to make my Mama proud when she is sad
I never will salute no one but I will mourn for my Dad
I never will salute no one but I will mourn for my Dad

credits

from Late Night Drive, released November 22, 2013
Markus - vocal, banjo, harmonica
Tom Ripphahn - bass guitar

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Markus Rill München, Germany

»Songs that are beautifully shimmering with ambiguity - brilliant lyrics« - Rolling Stone"

"Rill shows great depth as a songwriter, bandleader and producer" - No Depression/USA

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