The Night I Called The Old Man Out

Album: In Pieces (1993)
  • The dining room fell silent
    I can't believe what I just said
    I just told my dad he's full of it
    And I watched his face turn red
    And I should've said "I'm sorry"
    But I matched him shout for shout
    I can still hear that screen door slammin'
    The night I called him out

    He said "Son, it's gonna hurt me more than it hurts you"
    But somehow I couldn't help but have my doubt
    'Cause I'd seen my older brothers crawl back in the house
    Each time they called the old man out

    Fist to fist and eye to eye
    Standin' toe to toe
    He would've let me walk away
    But I just would not let it go
    Years of my frustration
    Had lead me to this night
    Now he'll pay for all the times that he's been right

    He said "Son, it's gonna hurt me more than it hurts you"
    But somehow I couldn't help but have my doubt
    'Cause I'd seen my older brothers crawl back in the house
    Each time they called the old man out

    It was over in a minute
    That's when I realized
    The blood came from my mouth and nose
    But the tears came from his eyes
    And in memory of that fateful night
    I know the greatest pain was his
    And I just pray some day I'm half the man he is
    Just like my older brothers
    I crawled back in the house
    The night I called the old man out

    He said "Son, it's gonna hurt me more than it hurts you"
    But somehow I couldn't help but have my doubt
    'Cause I'd seen my older brothers crawl back in the house
    Each time they called the old man out Writer/s: ALGER, BROOKS, WILLIAMS
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

  • James from NcIt’s really not about abuse, it’s about respect. All young men sooner or later will push their dads to the point “the old man” says “if you’re gonna act like a jerk, I’m gonna treat you like a jerk”. Again, it’s all about respect, or in this case, the lack of it.
  • Al from IowaI was listening to In Pieces for the first time in over a decade and was kind of shocked that I never noticed how messed up this song is. It's quite literally a horrible example of child abuse that the narrator blames on themselves and sees nothing wrong with the bloody nose their dad gives them...wow!
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