Story Behind The Song

I saved certian items from my childhood, one of them being a box of letters and notes from my parents to me. Some of these were just short instructions for chores, some were long letters written while one of us was away on business or on vacation. I realized that I have very little in the way of written from my older sons and young daughter since almost everything is communicated digitally. It's not a sad song, just an observation.

Song Description

Autobiograhical account of my parents leaving notes to have chores done by my siblings and me, it also deals with the differences in how families communicate with one another in the electronic age.

Lyrics

Notes From Home


Beginning when we were quite small

Mom was leaving us notes in the hall

I would come home in the afternoon when no one was around

And look upon the table at the thoughts she'd written down


If you're reading this I'm not here, walk the dog and keep in mind

That if it's raining wipe his paws before you let him back inside

If you're sitting in the kitchen I'd appreciate it if

You'd put the jelly in the fridge and put the lid back on the Jif

I don't why I did it but I took that tiny tome

And put it in a box I labeled "notes from home"


Sentimentality turned into fact

When my father got into the act

He was a good man and I liked him and I always knew he cared

But like most dads he could lecture when he wasn't even there



If you're reading this I'm not here, if you figured that one out

Then here's a list of things for you to do instead of hanging out



You can sweep out the garage then feed the horses and the

ducks

And if you wash and wax my car then I will give you twenty

Bucks

So I swept and fed and washed and waxed and polished up the

chrome

And put that message with the other notes from home


Now we got cell phones, we got PDA's and pagers

We got satellites to answer all our needs

So instead of stumbling round when you misplace them

You dial 1 800 WheredIleavemykeys

We can slip a microchip into the children

So you'll know before they wander very far

And the next time you get lost, don't you worry

'Cause we all know where you are


There's a girl now who's sharing my name

The more things change the more they stay the same

She leaves me little notes to tell me what's been on her mind

And since I grew up with this practice I am not surprised to find


If you're reading this I love you, if you're not you ought to start

'Cause I don't leave these things for everyone, just those who

have my heart

I thought you'd like to know that on this pretty summer day

I was thinking of my arms around you darling, by the way

Next time you're sitting in the kitchen I'd appreciate it if

You'd put the jelly in the fridge and put the lid back on the Jif

Someone's trash is someone's treasure, everybody has their own

And mine is in a box I labeled "notes from home"