The Old Man's Dead

This is where he came to birth
This is where he lived on earth
Now he's down below the turf
Now the old man's dead
Here's where he became a man
Here's where he walked and ran
Now he's underneath the sand
Now the old man's dead

All the things we couldn't do
Dreaming of some pastures new
Now it's all out there for you
And all out there for me
All the things he'd not allow
We'd not question why or how
But all that scarcely matters now
For all at once we're free

Did he love us? Maybe so
But he'd never let us go
And now I guess we'll never know
'Cause now the old man's dead
Did he like us? Who could tell
He was strict and hard as well
And now he's bound for Heaven or Hell
Now the old man's dead

Old man, how I wish I knew
The things in your life driving you
To treat us hard the way you'd do
If only you had said
Seems to me you'd always hide
The feelings that you had inside
Oh was it pain or was it pride?
And now so soon you're dead

Was he lonely? Who could say?
We never thought to think that way
We've got debts we have to pay
And now the old man's dead
Had he happy times at all?
Seldom smiled when we were small
It's like he hid behind a wall
Now the old man's dead

Was it grief or longing?
Ancient hurt or remembered war?
Or something else worth fighting for
That cut him to the core
If he had helped us understand
Maybe we could have lent a hand
But all we saw was a hard old man
Who's not here any more

So long ago he came to birth
A long long time he lived on earth
And now he's down beneath the turf
Now the old man's dead