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1. |
Baseball
04:10
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BASEBALL
He could hit a fastball harder than anyone could throw
He could steal second base before anyone would know
In the bottom of the ninth, when the pressure was on
At the crack of his bat you just knew it was gone
When the wood hit the leather you knew it was gone
So take me out to the ballgame and let me hear that again
This is where little boys learn how to be men
He played center field on Uncle Tony's sandlot team (but)
To make it in the majors was his lifelong dream
His idols were DiMaggio, Mantle and Mays
Heroes were the guys who made the big plays
Heroes were the guys who could make the big plays
So take me out to the ballgame and let me see that again
This is where little boys learn how to be men
When the scouts came around he was back on the farm
Trying to make the best of his one good arm
His playing time was through but he still had his dreams....
Of his days in the outfield on Uncle Tony's team
Of his days in the outfield on Uncle Tony's team
So take me out to the ballgame and let me see him again
This is where little boys learn how to be men
So take me out to the ballgame and let me see him again
This is where little boys learn how to be men
© 2020 by Jerry Vanek
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2. |
North Dakota
03:06
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NORTH DAKOTA
(spoken)
They write a lot of songs about places.... like
"Almost Heaven, West Virginia"
"Waltz Across Texas"
"You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma"
"The Tennessee Waltz"
"The Kentucky Waltz"
"Moonlight In Vermont"
"Stars Fell On Alabama"...but
I ain't never heard a song about North Dakota
Songwriters seem to pass it by somehow
So I just wrote a song about North Dakota
North Dakota, your song's been written now
They sing about that blue moon of Kentucky
They sing about that San Francisco Bay and
The lakes of Minnesota, but when it comes to North Dakota
No one seems to have that much to say
(chorus)
I ain't never been to North Dakota
I don't guess I'm gonna get there soon but
When I do I'll make my mark in Bismark and
I'll go far in Fargo singin' this tune
(chorus)
North Dakota, your song's been written now
So North Dakota, stand up and take a bow
© 1992 by Dave Saunders
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3. |
That's What Daddies Do
02:54
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THAT’S WHAT DADDIES DO
I watched you win Talladega
In your imaginary car
I watched you land a spaceship
On the moon in our backyard (but)
When you found out little boys can’t fly
I picked you up and held you while you cried
Son, I’m here if you need me
All you’ve got to do is call
It won’t be long before you see me
I may not be there to catch you when you fall (but)
I’ll do anything in the world for you (cause)
That’s what Daddies do
I was there behind the backstop
For every single inning
There to cheer you on
Even when you went down swinging (but)
When Betty-Jean told you it was over
You knew where you could find a shoulder
Son, I’m here if you need me
All you’ve got to do is call
It won’t be long before you see me
I may not be there to catch you when you fall (but)
I’ll do anything in the world for you (cause)
That’s what Daddies do
Someday you’ll have a family of your own (but)
Don’t you ever hesitate to call home…
(chorus)
© 2006 by Chris Gray / Jerry Vanek
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4. |
A Man's Man
03:34
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A MAN'S MAN
My daddy was an honest man
He always did what he said he'd do
You knew it when he shook your hand
You could count on him to follow through
That kind of thinkin' just ain't common anymore
Still I'm proud to call him my old man
My daddy was a man's man
A God-fearing family man
Living for his children and his wife
He stood for all the good things
That matter most in life
He taught me when to kneel and when to stand
Yeah my daddy...was a man's man
My daddy was a workin' man
From the break of dawn to the setting sun
With honest dirt on his callused hands
At the end of the day when the work was done
That kind of livin' ain't too common anymore
Still I'm proud to call him my old man
He was always there to guide me and lend a helpin' hand (and)
He showed me what it really takes to make a man a man
(chorus)
Yeah my daddy...was a man's man
Yeah my daddy...was a man's man
© 2004 by Jerry Vanek / Dave Saunders
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5. |
Alone
03:44
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ALONE
You think you know a lot about
Man and God and war
You play the games of life and love
As if you knew the score but
Sometimes the things you say
Cut right to the bone
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
You go a little further
Than a body ought to go
You say more than you need to and
You do it just for show
If you carry on this way too long
You'll end up on your own
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
One day you're gonna wake up and find
You ain't even got a home
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
(solo)
I don't care if you've been
On the cover of the Rolling Stone
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
If somebody ends up crying, well
That's just about par
You'll keep right on going till
You've finally gone too far
We might hurt the ones we love but
Not everyone we've ever known
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
You don't know enough to leave well enough alone
Alone
© 2018 by Jerry Vanek
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6. |
That And Drinkin'
03:22
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THAT AND DRINKIN'
There were nights when I was kissing other women (and)
I couldn’t bring myself to give a damn
Spent the rent and every cent I got my hands on
Gambling like the reckless fool I am
It must’ve been the cheating, that made her say goodbye
Well that, and drinkin'
That, and drinkin'
Some little thing I knew would make her happy
Somehow I’d never to think to get it done
I didn’t care to know what she was feeling
The only thing that mattered was number one
It must’ve been my careless ways that broke my woman’s heart
Well that, and drinkin'
That, and drinkin'
It wasn’t like she needed one more reason
I never said I loved her, I guess that’s why she’s gone
Well that, and drinkin'
That, and drinkin'
I’d tell her lies and make her great big promises
That somehow just never came to be
I was always late and I always kept her waiting
She was always right on time for me
It must’ve been my lying words that made her walk away
Well that, and drinkin'
That, and drinkin'
It wasn’t like she needed one more reason
I never said I loved her, I guess that’s why she’s gone
Well that, and drinkin'
That, and drinkin'
© 2009 by Jerry Vanek
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7. |
Every Word He Didn't Say
04:09
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EVERY WORD HE DIDN'T SAY
Daddy never told us what it was to be a man (but)
There was food on the table and dirt on his hands
He didn’t preach forgiveness or go on about God’s love (but)
Every time I stumbled he was there to pick me up
“Do as I say, not as I do”
These were words my Daddy never used
He talked the way he walked (and)
He walked the way he talked (but)
I knew it all so I walked the other way
With every passing year
Time has opened up my ears
Now I’m starting to hear every word…he didn’t say
Daddy didn’t tell us “read the Bible every night”
One look at him, and you knew what faith looked like
I learned about the love between a husband and a wife
When Mama walked into the room, you could see it in his eyes
“Do as I say, not as I do”
These were words my Daddy never used
(chorus)
He left me some mighty big shoes to fill (but)
When my days are over, I pray….someone will say…
He talked the way he walked… (and)
He walked the way he talked…
He talked the way he walked… (and)
He walked the way he talked…
© 2007 by Jerry Vanek / Bill Diluigi
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8. |
The Life I Choose
03:06
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THE LIFE I CHOOSE
I get up every morning while the world is still in bed
By the time you get your shoes on, we've got all the cattle fed
My daddy taught me money don't grow on trees, well
I work for every dollar, and I earn it honestly
This is the life I choose, trying to make it pay
Six days a week, ten hours a day
With my own two hands, I learned to be a man
A working man – and this is the life I choose
I come home every evening like my daddy's daddy did
At night I fall in love again with the mother of my kids
When my working day is over, she meets me at the door
In the yard the kids are playing - tell me, who could ask for more?
This is the life I choose, trying to make it pay
Six days a week, ten hours a day
With my own two hands, the measure of a man
A working man – this is the life I choose
I start the day early, I get my hands dirty
I put in my time, whether rain or shine
Worship on Sunday, back at it on Monday
That's the life...of a working man
This is the life I choose (a working man)
The life I choose...
I get up every morning while the world is still in bed...
© 2013 by Chris Gray / Jerry Vanek
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9. |
Prodigal Daughter
02:43
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PRODIGAL DAUGHTER
It was time to leave home
Strike out on her own
She vowed to never look back
She thought she knew better
Than her father did (and)
Mister, that was that
The last thing her daddy told her
Before she got on that plane...
Prodigal daughter, if you need me
I'll be here waiting for you
Praying that someday you will call
Just like a daughter should do
Prodigal daughter
Her life wasn't easy (and)
It kept gettin' harder
It's an unforgiving world
By the time the money was gone
That he gave her to live on
She was a bruised and battered girl (but)
She finally dialed his number
You can't keep a good girl down
She was lost... but now... she has been found
Prodigal daughter, welcome back home
Your daddy's been waiting for you
He's running to take you in his arms
Just like a father should do
Prodigal daughter
© 2011 by Jerry Vanek
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10. |
Family Legacy
03:32
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FAMILY LEGACY
Daddy wasn’t much
For the milk of the Word
He cursed and he swore and
That’s all we ever heard
Yeah, the fruit of the vine
Was the drink he preferred
That’s my family legacy
Whenever he would come home drunk and
Break my Mama’s heart
His story was always the same (but)
It wasn’t his fault, it was the bottle
Just another case of whiskey…getting the blame
Daddy drank shine
From a mason jar
One rainy June night
He went a little too far
Wrapped an old pine tree
‘Round a brand new car
That’s my family legacy
(chorus)
When a man does wrong and
He don’t own up
To what he’s done
Then he ain’t that tough (but)
He can always say
He had a little too much (yeah)
That’s my family legacy
Whenever he would come home drunk and
Break my Mama’s heart
The story was always the same (but)
It wasn’t his fault, it was the bottle
Just another case of whiskey…getting the blame...
© 2010 by Jerry Vanek
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11. |
Because Of The Brave
03:45
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BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE
I never really knew the man
I was only two when he went to Nam
By the time I was four, he was gone for good
Mama had a couple Polaroids
Of a man who was really just a boy
I’ve tried hard to live the way my Daddy would
He knew that freedom wasn’t free
He thought of Mom and he thought of me
Then he volunteered to do his part for the cause
He paid the highest price of all
To earn his place on that granite wall
What I‘d give to be half the man he was
Gratitude is overdue
For the precious gift he gave
Sometimes you’ve got to risk it all
So there’s something left to save
This is the land of the free (but)
Only because of the brave
You can go ahead and disagree
With the government and the policy
My friend, that right’s been bought and paid for you
But you’re on the fighting side of me
When you can’t even show the decency
To honor the sacrifices that were made for you
Gratitude is overdue
For the precious gift they gave
Sometimes you’ve got to risk it all
So there’s something left to save
This is the land of the free (but)
Only because of the brave
(repeat chorus)
© 2006 by Jerry Vanek
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12. |
My Old Man
03:58
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MY OLD MAN
I miss the old man tonight and
I wish he was here with me
With his corny jokes and his cheap cigars
He could look you in the eye and sell you a car
That's not an easy thing to do
No one ever knew
A more charming creature on this earth than
My old man
He was a pilot in the big war
In the U.S. Army Air Corps
In a C-47 with a heavy load
Of combat cargo for Burma Road and
After they dropped the bomb
He came home and married Mom and
Not too long after that he became
My old man
And oh the fights that we had
When my brother and me made him mad
He'd get all boiled up and he'd start to shout
We knew what was coming so we tuned him out
Now the old man is gone and
I'd give all I own
To hear what he said when I wasn't listening to
My old man
I miss the old man tonight and
I can almost see his face
He was always trying to watch his weight but
His heart only made it to fifty-eight and
For the first time since he died
Late last night I cried
I was wondering when I was gonna go and do that for
My old man
© 1977 by Steve Goodman
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