Lyrics

An Old Piece Of Wood
Words and Music: Graeme Connors

My Daddy was a farmer a simple man
Quick with his mind and good with his hands
A real hard worker with a soft side too
Never made a lot of money but he made do
And I can well remember after supper each night
He?d sit on the front porch smokin? his pipe
Take a piece of timber and whittle away
And there?d be a surprise for us next day
A sailing boat or a wooden gun
A doll for my sister a comb for my Mom
We were all amazed at the way he could
Make anything he wanted from an old piece of wood

Well my thirteenth birthday was drawing near
And as bad luck goes it was a real good year
The weather went wrong the crops were poor
And the banker was howlin? at our front door
My friends and I?d just found Rock ?n? Roll
So I was hoping for a little pocket radio
But when the big day finally came around
My Daddy said son don?t want to let you down
Though what I got for you?s not what you had in mind
It?s the best I could do in these hard times
Then my eyes lit up when I understood
What he?d made for me from an old piece of wood

An old piece of wood carved real fine
Some fencing wire and some fishing line
And I had a guitar like Johnny B. Goode
Man I was proud of that old piece of wood

Years have gone by and change gone down
My Daddy sold the farm and moved into town
My little sister married and moved away
My Momma?s hair turned silver grey
A farmers life was not enough for me
I had bigger plans for what to do and be
So now I make my living travelling the land
Picking hot guitar in a country band
And many a time when I?m up on the stage
I think of my Daddy and the present he gave me
Though I don?t see him as much as I should
I thank him every night for that old piece of wood

An old piece of wood carved real fine
Some fencing wire and some fishing line
I had a guitar I was Johnny B. Goode
I built my life on an old piece of wood

Copyright 1992 The Panama Music Company Pty. Ltd.