a long long time

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lyrics

there’s a dry scent of cardboard and rose perfume
my brother’s laughing in the other room
the fireplace burning warm and bright
daddy complains and hangs the christmas lights
i try to sleep but i’m up all night
and everything is right all right

a long long time ago
when the world was young
a long long time ago
when the songs were sung

long hair, short pants and bloody knees
we blame mosquitos, ashamed of the fleas
the old oak groans at the slightest breeze
and daddy goes skiing without any skis
then he’s begging mama, please, honey, please
no one ever talks about it,
we hung from trees and screamed and shouted

a long long time ago
when the world was young
a long long time ago
when the songs were sung
a long long time ago
when hell still lurked below
a long long time ago
here i come

before the dog ran out in traffic
before my brother’s life turned tragic
before i lost my father’s trust
before my courage turned to dust
before my mother’s diagnosis
before my daughter’s scoliosis
before my constant deep depression
before my wife’s sleep-starved aggression
before they fired the starting gun
before i lost my only son
before forgetting his last thanksgiving
before dying outweighed living
i still fit on my daddy’s knee
his chest pains won’t arrive till ‘43
the sweet smell of my mother as she tucked me in,
one part cigarettes and two parts gin
the ending nears i long long long to begin
there’s time machine behind my grin
i’m knocking on my old front door
please god let me in

a long long time ago
when the world was young
a long long time ago
back when songs were sung
a long long time ago
before the ill winds blow
a long long time ago
here i come

a long long time ago
when there was still so far to go
a long long time ago
here i come