Songs That Remind Me of my Dad
"The Leader of the Clan" Paraphrased and Sung to the Dan Fogelberg tune “Leader Of The Band “ One child born among eight others, was a carpenter's son His hands could do such different work And his heart was known to none Many homes he built with family, they did it their way And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay Made to work a day hard, denied a simpler fate He was a fine soldier once, but his love she had to wait He earned his love through discipline-- a thundering, velvet hand His gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand The leader of the clan is gone and his kids are growing old But his blood runs through my creativity and his song is in my soul My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the clan My brothers' lives were different for they heard another call One went to the Air Force, another north of St Paul A third in Colorado, while I lived like I was in some hotel Living out this life I've chose and come to know so well I thank you for the humor and your stories of your life I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough And, papa, I don't think I said 'I love you' near enough The leader of the clan is gone and his kids are growing old But his blood runs through my creativity and his song is in my soul My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the clan

"Everything I Own"

Lyrics by Songwriter: David Gates

You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm, Kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, Set me free
The finest years I ever knew,
We're all the years I had with you

And I will give everything I own,
I'll give my life, my heart, my home
I will give everything I own
Just to have you back again.

You taught me how to love,
What its all, all above
You never said too much
But still you showed the way
In my new, I'm watching you
Nobody else will ever know
The part of me that can't let go

I will give anything I own
I'll give up my life, my heart, my home
I will give everything I own
Just to have you back again

Is there someone you know
You're loving them so
But taking them all for-granted
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And they don't hear the words you long to say

I would give anything I own,
I'll give up my life, my heart, my home,
I will give everthing I own
Just to have you back again
Just to touch you once again

"Wake Me Up When December Ends"

Paraphrased and Sung to the Green Day Tune
"Wake Me Up When September Ends"

Another year has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when December ends

Like my fathers come to pass
Thirty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when December ends

Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when December ends

Another year has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when December ends

Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when December ends

Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when December ends

Another year has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when December ends

Like my father's come to pass
Thirty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when December ends
Wake me up when December ends
Wake me up when December ends

- By John P. McCarron - Dec. 2006