Whisper in the Dawn

He looked up from his mandolin and his face burst into the biggest grin
He said, "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, my friend
Hey, pull up a chair and crack us both a beer
I was 'bout to wander but now you're here
And it's been too long since we just sat a while
Every lick, every note
Perfect movies in the words he wrote
Spinning tales meant to last
He lived his life in song
I can hear his mandolin whisper in the dawn

He was one of those gifted types
Played like his fingers were on fire
A triple threat, maybe even more
You'd mostly see him helping others shine
But when it was his turn he took his time
And more than once he made me cry
And you could hear a pin drop when the last note died

We swapped jokes and laughs and songs
But I could tell there was something wrong
He said, "Me and my girl are splitting up
I'd known Dave for twenty years
But that was the first time I'd seen tears
And it hit me that we never talked enough

We sing our songs for the whole world to hear
And yet we hide behind these old guitars and never show our fears

I got the news. It hit me hard. You're picking songs on a grassy hill
And then you pick that final card

Every lick, every note
Perfect movies in the words he wrote
Spinning tales meant to last
He lived his life in song
I can hear his mandolin whisper in the dawn