The Best I Can

My dad was a war hero
He chased Zeros in a Hellcat
When he died I threw his shoes away
I knew I could never top that
I saw his aircraft carrier
One time up in New York
I called my mother from the deck
And we both cried pretty hard

Chorus:
I am just his son
And that’s all I’ll ever be
If you’re looking for a hero
Don’t you look at me
I’ve never been a hero
No I am just a man
I wish I was more like him
But I do the best I can

My dad was a ladies man
They say he always got the girl
They must be right because he married
The prettiest girl in the world
His squadron flew right down Main Street
At noon on their wedding day
Some folks thought it was the Japanese
Until they saluted and flew away

Chorus:
I am just his son
And that’s all I’ll ever be
If you’re looking for a hero
Don’t you look at me
I’ve never been a hero
No I am just a man
I wish I was more like him
But I do the best I can

My dad was a businessman
He sold Fords and Mercurys
Over the years he made lots of friends
And one or two enemies
One night some guy had a bad idea
Tried to break into Mama’s house
I found that guy in a honky tonk
And I knocked that bastard out

Chorus:
I am just his son
And that’s all I’ll ever be
If you’re looking for a hero
Don’t you look at me
I’ve never been a hero
No I am just a man
I wish I was more like him
But I do the best I can

My dad died in sixty-eight
With RFK and Dr. King
I tried to make sense of it all
But it doesn’t mean a Goddamn thing
It’s like some jigsaw puzzle
Where all the pieces look the same
I wonder if he knew me
Would he be ashamed

Chorus:
I am just his son
And that’s all I’ll ever be
If you’re looking for a hero
Don’t you look at me
I’ve never been a hero
No I am just a man
I wish I was more like him
But I do the best I can

Copyright Kent Newsome and Ronnie Jeffrey
All Rights Reserved