Story Behind The Song

I thought about the struggle of single fatherhood. I used the turn of a phrase "You had me" in four different way, though the idea is effective even for those who pick up onle two or three of the ways: 1) She (his wonderful perfect wife) had you (gave birth to the daughter) 2) You had me (You were stuck with me), as in: "Instead you had me Seemed like a mistake I?s afraid to hold you cause I thought you?d break I could change the filters and wipers too But changin? diapers, ain?t easy to do Y?had me I wanted to shout What in the world was God thinkin? about Cleanin? your face with my shirt sleeve Singin? ?Red Dirt Road? to put you to sleep The most gentle mama in the world had you But you had me 3) "I'm so glad I have you", where the daughter uses the term in gratefullness 4) The daughter "really had me", or surprised him when she told him "I'm so glad I have you"

Song Description

As a father is waiting for his daughter to come home from her first date. he thinks about how he raised his daughter after his wife's death. He felt inadequate and ill equipped (She had you, but you had me), but in the end his daughter leaves a note for him when she comes home as he sleeps in his chair, telling him, "I'm so glad I have you". In each verse and chorus, he thinks about specific ways he fell short as she grew from infancy to young adult.

Lyrics

Sittin? in my chair at eleven at night
Waitin? up for you, some thoughts went through my mind

I used to ask the Lord why on the day she left this world
I became the single dad of seven pound seven ounce girl
She never laid her eyes on your perfect little face
You never knew the hugs that were suddenly taken away

Instead you had me
Seemed like a mistake
I?s afraid to hold you cause I thought you?d break
I could change the filters and wipers too
But changin? diapers, ain?t easy to do

Y?had me
I wanted to shout
What in the world was God thinkin? aboutInstead you had me
Seemed like a mistake
I?s afraid to hold you cause I thought you?d break
I could change the filters and wipers too
But changin? diapers, ain?t easy to do

Y?had me
I wanted to shout
What in the world was God thinkin? about
Cleanin? your face with my shirt sleeve
Singin? ?Red Dirt Road? to put you to sleep
The most gentle mama in the world had you
But you had me
Cleanin? your face with my shirt sleeve
Singin? ?Red Dirt Road? to put you to sleep
The most gentle mama in the world had you
But you had me

I used to ask the Lord why I never found somebody new
Someone to share your secrets like moms and daughters do
A woman there to guide you through the growin? pains
At age thirteen when the little girl I knew began to change

Instead you had me
Yeh, I?m a great help
When you?re shoppin? for dresses and matchin? belts
There?s just one style of baby shoes
Now it?s high heels, sandles, and leather boots

You had me
What good is that
When it?s time to learn those facts?
There was so much on my heart
But I never knew just where to start
The wisest woman in the world had you
But you had me

Her picture on the dresser you talked to while you played
Was the picture of beauty before me on the night of your first date

You know you had me
When the doorbell rang
In he walked while you gathered your things
I sat him down, and set him right
Sayin?, ?Buckle those seat belts, have her home by midnight?

Me
Wakin? in my chair
Fox and Friends were on the air
You were sleepin? in your bed
Found a note in my shirt that read
?Thanks for carin? Dad. I?m so glad I have you?
Yeh you had me
You really had me
You had me