Old Bones

When I was young me father said to me, he said to me
He said never take advice when it comes for free
Cause you can have all the riches of the golden kind
But without the riches of your peace of mind
He said you won't make old bones
You won't make old bones
You won't make old bones you'll see

And as the old men sit and curse times slipping sand,
Slipping sand
I sit and I curse the time upon my hands
And the north wind blows like a song of the sea
The song that it carries comes quite plain to me
And says you won't make old bones...

Now there is some folks make remarks and me fetals in
Frown, me fetals in frown
And says the only way you can get up is when they turn
You down
Now everybody gives me the same advice
They said go sign up for the soldiers life or

You won't make old bones...

So I went to the army like everybody told me to do,
They told me to do
They said we'd love to make a soldier out of you
But before I put me name down on the line
Me fathers words came to me on time, he said
You won't make old bones...

I said your guns and your drums are not for the likes
Of me, the likes of me
For me future it might look bleaker than bleak can be
'Cause your talk of many owing much to few
When all that I wanted was a job to do, he said
You won't make old bones...

So you people in power and position I tell you beware,
I tell you beware
Of your tacts and your figures to tell you what went
Where
'Cause your facts and your figures are the likes of me
And don't try and tell me how me life should be or
You won't make old bones...