The Living Years

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door
I know that I'm a prisoner to all my father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage, to all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

More crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got
You say you just don't see it, he says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement, in this present tense
We all talk a different language, talking in defence

(Say it loud) say it loud (say it clear) oh, say it clear
(You can listen as well as you hear)
(It's too late) it's too late (when we die) oh, when we die
(To admit we don't see eye to eye)

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that last
So don't yield to the fortunes, you sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective, on a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in, you may just be OK

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
(Say it clear) oh, say it clear
(You can listen) as well as you hear
Because it's too late (it's too late)
It's too late (when we die) oh, when we die
(To admit) we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say
Think I caught his spirit, later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo in my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
(Say it clear) come on say it clear
(You can listen) as well as you hear
(It's too late) it's too late
(When we die) it's too late when we die
(To admit we don't see eye to eye)
Hey, so say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Say it loud (say it clear) come on say it clear
(Say it loud, say it clear) don't give up, don't give in, and don't look back 'til it's too late
Come on say it (say it loud) say it loud, say it loud