Story Behind The Song
Autobiographical - My daughter was three when I married for the second time. My wife became "Mom" in every sense of the word; just recently, over 35 years, the two of them chose to formalize"their" adoption.
Song Description
It's about how a stepmom become a mom and gives a little girl important things that a dad (even well-meaning) can't. The story is told from the dad's perspective, directed to the mom, but focused on the daughter.
| Song Length |
4:10 |
Genre |
Country - Americana, Folk - Americana |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Content, Serene |
Subject |
Loving Marriage, Love for Child |
| Similar Artists |
Darius Rucker, James Taylor |
Language |
English |
| Era |
1990 - 1999 |
| |
Lyrics
The Best Thing I Gave Her
©2010
Charley Sandage
When she was three it was just her and me
I gave her the best a single dad could
Care bears and vegetables, books with big pictures
Sometimes more ice cream than I knew I should
Then you came along, and not just for me - you filled up my little girl's dreams
She needed somebody to ask about changes
Makeup and other mysterious things
How to love when you need to and fight when you have to
How angels stay grounded while growing their wings
Now she flies on her own
Most of the time she knows what to do
'Cause of all that I bought her and brought her and taught her
The best thing I gave her was you
Tonight when the phone rang her voice was uncertain
"Hey Dad, how's it going, is Mom somewhere near
I knew it was something 'way over my head
I could hear she was hurting and holding back tears
It didn't hurt to admit when I gave you the phone who she needed right then wasn't me
She needed somebody to ask about changes
Marriage and other mysterious things
Things that a daughter can learn from a mother
Who keeps angels grounded while growing their wings
Oh, she flies on her own
Most of the time she knows what to do
'Cause of all that I bought her and brought her and taught her
The best thing I gave her was you
It's not just scraped knees now or bikes with flat tires
Or learning her colors when she was just two
Life comes at you hard, you need someone to turn to - the best thing I gave her was you
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