"He told me that I would amount to nothing"
Chorus
He told me that I was a tramp that day; he told me I wouldn't make the grade
He didn't like the long hair I had; I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
Then he told me that I would amount to nothing, yes he told me that he was ashamed of me
He didn't like the way I dressed, I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
He was an engineer by day and a pastor by night; he read the bible with all of his might
He had to learn all the words that he would preach that day at church where he spoke on Sunday night
As the congregants came in he gave them a smile; a firm handshake, God bless to all who came
Sitting at the back of the hall as I watched from afar, it all seemed like a religious game
There were times in my home when he would grab my dear old mom, he would push her up against the wall
As he held her by the throat he would raise his mighty fist, my mom trembled that's when she would bawl
I jumped up to save my mom and I said please let her go it wasn't fair that she would get the blame
But he screamed at me as well sit down right now boy, or you, yes you will get the same
When I was seventeen I would walk into the room, he said hey, where do you think you've been
I've been roaming around the town with all of my friends he got up to hit me once again
But this time I decided I wouldn't back away, he raised his hand to punch me in the face
I said go ahead if you think you're tough, but this time he pulled away
He said, you're not worth it, you are a disgrace
Chorus
Then he told me that I was a tramp that day; he told me I wouldn't make the grade
He didn't like the long hair I had; I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
Then he told me that I would amount to nothing, yes he told me that he was ashamed of me
He didn't like the way I dressed, I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
In '77 when I came home I could hear all the moans my mom said, your dad is not too good
He was writhing in pain couldn't make out what he was saying, I said does he think he is going to die
I had no feelings at all as I'm walking through the hall as I lay on my bed wondering why
As I turned to the wall, my heart felt so small, it was then I started to cry
It was during the night my mom woke me with fright, she said we're going to the hospital right away
An ambulance took him away we followed just the same, 3:a.m. it seemed like a long night
It was nine in the morn the nurse said it won't be long we all went in and said our goodbyes
Then as we all left the room, we knew it would be very soon we all hugged and we started to cry
His body came to our home as this was the norm in the coffin looking white this is what I said
Looking at his face I said you're not so tough now; lying in this coffin now that you are dead
But as I stood there alone not sure what was going on all the words resonating in my mind
The memories of the words that he would say to me that hurt; this, is what I heard him say
Chorus
He told me that I was a tramp that day; he told me I wouldn't make the grade
He didn't like the long hair I had; I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
Then he told me that I would amount to nothing, yes he told me that he was ashamed of me
He didn't like the way I dressed, I couldn't be what he wanted me to be
All I wanted dad was for you to love me.
Written by Chris Turner
March 18, 2015
